First ODI to go ahead

Shiran Fernando -- one of the three members of the Sri Lankan cricket team who tested positive in the first tests on Saturday, returned positive result again while the two others -- all-rounder Isuru Udana and bowling coach Chaminda Vaas -- returned negative results in the second test, informed an official of Bangladesh Cricket Board.

The official, who did not want to be named, said that the first ODI will go ahead as scheduled as per ICC protocol by isolating the Covid-positive player.  

Earlier, two cricketers and a coaching staff had tested positive, throwing the fate of the first match of the ODI series against Bangladesh in doubt.

The report of the first test came positive on Saturday night and since then the three -- cricketers Isuru Udana and Shiran Fernando and bowling coach Chaminda Vaas -- were isolated, informed a high-placed official of Bangladesh Cricket Board. 

"The first report of the test, which was done on an emergency basis, came out positive. The second tests have been done and the reports will be out soon," the BCB official, who did not want to be named, had told The Daily Star earlier.

"Since these tests were done in quick time, we cannot rule out the possibility of false positives. However, we are waiting for the second test results to be certain," the official had said.

The official added that while the ICC protocol suggests that the match could go ahead by isolating the infected individuals from others.

Earlier, Khaled Mahmud, the team leader of Bangladesh, returned negative result on Saturday, a day after testing positive for Covid-19.