Pakistan all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez breaches bio-secure protocol, put in isolation
Karachi: Senior Pakistan all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez was on Wednesday placed in isolation after he breached the bio-secure bubble, created by the England Cricket Board for the ongoing series between the two teams.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the team management decided to isolate him until he returns a negative COVID-19 test.
The Board said that Hafeez went to a golf course, which is adjacent to the team hotel and part of the bio-secure bubble. He was photographed with a member of the public and posted the picture on his social media account.
"It was evident from the photograph that Hafeez had breached the two-metre social distancing protocol and following a consultation process with the team doctor, the team management has decided to isolate him until he returns a negative Covid-19 test," PCB said in its statement.
"The decision to put Hafeez in isolation has been taken for his and the safety and security of everyone around him. The team management believes it was an inadvertent mistake, but a good reminder for everyone on the importance of following the bio-secure protocols, which have been designed for the health and safety of everyone."
PCB confirmed that Hafeez had undergone a Covid-19 test late Wednesday afternoon and the result is expected on Thursday.
It said the team management had updated the England Cricket Board of its decision.
Hafeez was among players who had tested positive before travelling to England. He then created an embarrassing situation for the PCB when he privately got himself tested and the result was negative which he posted on his twitter account.
He returned two more negative tests before being permitted to travel to the UK.
The ECB is taking any breach of the biosecurity protocol very seriously. Fast bowler Jofra Archer was dropped for the second Test against West Indies after he also breached the biosecurity bubble by going to his apartment in Brighton.
Hafeez, a veteran allrounder has in the past also got himself into trouble with his statements on Pakistan cricket and selection matters.
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Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
