Playing under ICC guidelines will look weird and off-putting: Sangakkara | Cricket - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Playing under ICC guidelines will look weird and off-putting: Sangakkara

Edited by Aditya Bhattacharya | ByPress Trust of India
May 31, 2020 07:33 PM IST

Sangakkara weighed in on the ICC’s latest guidelines as cricket aims to make a comeback in times of Covid-19

Sri Lanka batting great Kumar Sangakkara says it will look “really weird” and “off-putting” to play cricket under the strict guidelines laid down by the ICC but he understands that there is no better option.

President of the Marylebone Cricket Club Kumar Sangakkara(Getty Images)
President of the Marylebone Cricket Club Kumar Sangakkara(Getty Images)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently come out with comprehensive guidelines to get the sport up and running around the world while at the same time maintaining the highest safety protocols.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

“I understand the guidelines are going to restrict players, playing of the game, it’s going to look really weird, and off-putting even for me when I think about it,” Sangakkara said on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected. “But the priority is health and safety. Health is absolutely paramount at this time, especially for players to have the confidence to get back to cricket, to get back to playing, to have grounds may be at some point open to spectators.”

The safety measures announced by ICC include the appointment of chief medical officers, a 14-day pre-match isolation training camp and use of gloves by umpires while handling the ball.

“It’s got to be a partnership because when you are under contract, your employer is responsible for creating a safe environment and educating the players and insisting that the environment that they come to work in is very safe,” weighing on the governing body’s guidelines, Sangakkara, who is also the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), said

“Players also have the responsibility in turn to understand what the government guidelines are. It’s not just about you and I, it’s also about how we spread it to other people – loved ones, the elderly in society – so you got to really be mindful of that.”

The former Sri Lanka captain said it is important to understand that these rules are for the safety of everyone associated with the game.

“If that environment of safety and health is not there, then the doubts keep coming back, ‘Should we start, should be go back to playing?’ So, we have to be really careful there, and understand that all these new rules are to try and make it as safe as possible even though it seems very, very detailed and extensive,” he said.

Stay updated with the latest Cricket News, IPL Live Scores, and get exclusive insights with the RCB vs KKR Live Score, IPL 2024 Schedule, match highlights, and more. Explore a comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and Orange Cap in IPL 2024, check Virat Kohli performance and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times website and app.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On