Reports: Pakistan players receive booster doses amid rise in COVID-19 cases

Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, the national cricket team players, officials and National High-Performance Center (NHPC) staff have received Pfizer booster vaccines. While Skipper Babar Azam and opener Imam-ul-Haq received the doses two days back Usman Qadir, Faheem Ashraf, Azhar Ali, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi were vaccinated under the supervision of the medical team on Friday (January 7).

For the unversed, all the national team cricketers had already received two doses of the vaccine. He they took the Pfizer as the third dose. It must be noted that Pakistan’s COVID-19 positivity ratio exceeded 2% in a single day for the first time since October 14 last year. This happened as 1,085 new cases were registered in 24 hours as per a data released on Thursday (January 6) morning.

Pakistan’s women’s team cricketers also received booster doses

Meanwhile, this major report was carried out by Cricket Pakistan. It was also learn’t that the process of giving booster doses to cricketers living in other cities will also be concluded by Friday evening. It also must be noted that women cricketers and their support staff have already received booster doses.

Meanwhile, the Babar Azam-led side enjoyed a phenomenal run in the year gone by. The Men in Green won as many as 20 T20Is in 2021, most by any team in a calendar year. Pakistan even did exceedingly well in the T20 World Cup and advanced to the semi-finals unbeaten. However, they suffered a five-wicket defeat against eventual champions Australia in the semi-finals.

2022 will also be pretty crucial for Pakistan as some important fixtures are lying up ahead. Prominent teams like Australia, New Zealand and England are set to play international cricket in the Asian nation after a while. Hence, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has the onus to conduct these fixtures smoothly. At the same time, the home team would like to shine at home.

Meanwhile, Pakistan players are currently gearing up for the 2022 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which gets underway on January 27. As the past editions of PSL have witnessed some exciting action over the 22 yards, expectations are sky-high from the upcoming competition.