Mahmudullah COVID-19 positive, will not travel to Pakistan for PSL 2020 playoffs

Bangladeshi cricketer Mahmudullah Riyad has become the latest in a long list of cricketers to contract coronavirus. The all-rounder was slated to play in the postponed PSL 2020 along with a number of Bangladeshi players. However, the Pakistan Super League playoffs will now feature just one player from the country - batsman Tamim Iqbal. Mahmudullah will go into mandatory quarantine and will not be allowed to fly out of the country until he returns two negative tests 24 hours apart.

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Mahmudullah COVID-19 news relayed by PSL 

The Multan Sultans, who had roped in Mahmudullah instead of Moeen Ali, will now have to look for a third replacement, as it seems unlikely that he will feature in the tournament. Mahmudullah was supposed to leave Dhaka on November 9 and announced this week that while he did not have any major symptoms other than a cold, he got himself tested before leaving for the PSL. He confirmed that he had tested positive for the virus twice and is in self-isolation now. There is no news about his family or other players/staff he may have come in contact with.

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Mahmudullah was the captain of the Mahmudullah XI at the Bangladesh Cricket Board President's Cup just last month, which his side won. He was also named in the players draft for this month's Bangabandhu T20 Cup tournament that is scheduled to start on November 21. However, with the undetermined recovery period of the virus, it seems unlikely that he will feature there as well. 

Talking about his positive test and missing out on the Pakistan Super League playoffs, Mahmudullah expressed his disappointment at missing out on the chance to play in the PSL but hopes that he will recover in time for the Bangabandhu T20 Cup. Other Bangladeshi players - Abu Jayed, Saif Hassan and Mashrafe Mortaza - had all also tested positive and have since recovered. 

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Pakistan Super League playoffs set to commence this week

The PSL 2020, after being postponed multiple times, is all set to restart on November 14. With half the tournament completed all the way back in March, the Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi are the last four standing.

The Multan Sultans and the Karachi Kings will take each other on in the first qualifier on the 14th while the Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi will play the eliminator the same day. The loser of the first match will play the winner of the second match to determine who goes into the final.

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Image Credits: Mahmudullah Twitter