We must forget cricket: Aqib Javed on matches behind closed doors

Aqib Javed says the game should only resume once the coronavirus pandemic normalises

April 17, 2020
Photo: Screen grab from video

Lahore Qalandars head coach Aqib Javed has said that there should be no cricket behind closed doors as the world grapples with the novel coronavirus pandemic which has suspended almost all global activity, including sports.

Javed, in an interview with Geo News, reasoned that given the current crisis, "cricket must be forgotten" as other things require their undivided attention.

"The world is suffering at the hands of the coronavirus. We need to take care of humanity first. We have our lives ahead to play as much cricket as we want," he said.

The former Test cricketer stated that cricket was a source of entertainment and, therefore, by staging matches behind closed doors the purpose would be lost.

He further said that despite the limited number of people that would be involved in the match, there would still be an element of risk present and insisted that there be no cricket-related activity for the next two to three months.

"There are cricketers, camera crew, presenters which is already around 100 to 200 people. That’s still a risky move," he opined.

"We should wait until the situation normalises as cricket is meant to be entertaining and holding matches behind closed doors would certainly not do that."

Sohail Imran is a senior reporter for Geo News.

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