Basit confident of Pakistan team's timely departure to England.

ISLAMABAD -- Former middle-order batsman Basit Ali is confident that despite Pakistan's 10 players testing positive for COVID-19, the national team will depart for England as planned.

The players, who have tested negative, will depart for the tour of England on June 28. Pakistan team is due to play three Tests and three T20Is against England in August-September. 'Among the players, who tested positive, only Mohammad Rizwan was a Test player, while others were part of the T20 outfit, hence Pakistan's Test team would not be affected much,' said Basit while speaking in a YouTube video.

He said there is no need to worry as the players, who contracted virus, are young and will not take much time to recover. 'They are young and brave. Their immune system is also very strong. I hope they'll defeat the virus and recover very soon. They may fly to England later on as there is enough time for the T20 series to take place. But the thing is that these players will have to spend 28 days in quarantine now: 14 days in Pakistan and as many in England.'

He said the ECB would have to review policy and issue visas to players on arrival. 'Usually, the visas are not issued on arrival but I feel both the boards will have to sign some MoUs for that.'

He said previously some people were critical of the 29-member extended Pakistan squad, but now they would...