Former Pakistani cricketer dies of coronavirus

KARACHI: Former Pakistani first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz became the first professional player in the country to die after contracting the novel coronavirus, his family confirmed Tuesday. The 50-year-old first fell ill earlier this month and was put on a ventilator at a hospital in Peshawar after his condition deteriorated.

He died late Monday.

"Sarfraz was healthy and lively but some 10 days ago he developed symptoms of the coronavirus and did not survive," said a family member who spoke to AFP.


Sarfraz, a middle-order batsman, played 15 first-class games in Peshawar and retired in 1994.

Pakistan has recorded more than 5,000 coronavirus cases to date and nearly 100 deaths.

Lack of testing and an underfunded health care sector, however, has raised fears the country is ill-equipped to handle a spike in cases.

Covid-19: Lee Fierro, Patricia Bosworth & Other Icons The World Lost

of 14
Next
Prev
Play Slideshow

Gone Too Soon

30 Mar, 2020
The Covid-19 outbreak has changed our world and turned it upside down. Life as we know it, might never be the same again and needless to say, the effects of this pandemic will be felt for decades to come.Not to say that some lives matter more than others, but the outbreak took away some of our beloved icons, trailblazers and trendsetters who had achieved tremendous success in their lifetime and were gone too soon.Here are a few who lost the battle to Covid-19.
Next