“You are a warrior,” Shoaib Malik and others send out heartfelt messages to Shahid Afridi
Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi has announced on Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19. The 40-year-old said that he had been experiencing severe body aches for a few days which prompted him to get himself tested.
Shahid Afridi might have picked up the virus during charity work
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Afridi has lent a philanthropic arm to the needy in Pakistan by traveling to the country's remote parts to provide essentials. This initiative has been a part of his charity, the Shahid Afridi Foundation. While doing relief work, the retired cricketer came in contact with the beneficiaries of his programme, from whom he might have contracted the virus.
Afridi is the third cricketer from Pakistan to have tested positive. The first one was former first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz, who lost his life to the virus, followed by former opener Taufeeq Umar, who fought the disease successfully.
Afridi’s fans and teammates extended their wishes to the flamboyant batsman. "My prayers are with him," Misbah ul Haq was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. "All well wishes are with him that he gets out of this soon.I think he was doing a lot of work in the area of Balochistan and the northern areas just to help the people. Throughout the COVID situation he was helping the poor and doing a very good job. Well wishes are with him to get well soon,” he added.
Here is how the cricket fraternity has been reacting to the news on social media
Shahid Afridi, who quit international cricket in 2017, played 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20Is for Pakistan and continues to ply his trade in domestic T20 leagues.