'My body had been aching badly': Shahid Afridi tests positive for coronavirus

Former Pakistan cricket captain reveals diagnosis

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates - December 02, 2018: Pakhtoons' Shahid Afridi during the game between between Pakhtoons and Northern Warriors in the T10 final. Sunday the 2nd of December 2018 at SharjahShow more

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi says he has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The 40-year-old confirmed the diagnosis on social media, and said he had been feeling unwell since Thursday.

He added that his "body had been aching badly" and said he needed "prayers for a speedy recovery".

Afridi became well-known during the past two decades for his big hitting and leg-break bowling. He played 27 Test matches, as well as 398 one day internationals.

He was in the news last month when he stepped in to buy a bat owned by Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim for $20,000 (Dh73,450) after a charity auction for coronavirus victims was derailed by fake bids.

Afridi, who has his own foundation, said his purchase was a good one. "We are faced with tough times and the need to help the poor is more in these times," he told AFP.

Afridi is the third Pakistan cricketer to test positive for the virus following Taufeeq Umar and Zafar Sarfaraz.

He has most recently been playing for Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League, which was suspended in March due to the outbreak.

Pakistan eased its coronavirus lockdown too early, according to the World Health Organisation last week.

The WHO said the country should impose intermittent fortnight-on-fortnight-off restrictions to manage the runaway spread.

Deaths had began to spike as hospitals wards approached their limits, while Prime Minister Imran Khan said remaining in lockdown would result in many daily labourers starving without work.

The most recent figures from Johns Hopkins University show more than 132,000 confirmed cases in Pakistan, with 2,551 deaths.

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