Limit England tour to just T20I series: Rashid Latif

Former cricketer Rashid Latif has suggested the national team should play just T20I matches and skip Tests on their upcoming tour to England.

Latif, in a video on YouTube, said that the two nations' cricket boards should lay out the options and make a decision according to the current situation.

He further said that T20 matches were more of more situational value than Tests because of the next scheduled ICC event which is the T20 World Cup.  

"There should be options at the two board’s disposal as far as the Test series is concerned. I would not go for Test matches at the initial six-month stage. The next event is the T20 World Cup. I would ask them for six or seven T20 matches instead of the Tests," he said. 

READ: ICC officials skeptical over hosting T20 World Cup during coronavirus crisis

"This would also help the team prepare for the upcoming global event. We don’t know yet if the event will go as planned in Australia because all governments will create new policies due to the epidemic."

Logistically speaking, Latif said that T20 matches were more desirable to stage amid the coronavirus pandemic and added that it would also provide necessary financial cushioning to the two sides. 

"T20s happen in just one day and if we want to look at it financially it would provide both boards some help during these hard times."

However, the former wicketkeeper-batsman acknowledged the challenges that would come with the tour. 

READ: Pakistan, England cricket chiefs look to save Test tour

"This is not an easy decision to make. We will have to wait and see what the situation is along with the policies being formed by the ECB, United Kingdom’s government and the PCB," he said.

"The PCB cannot just accept the ECB’s invitation and go there because they can make money. This involves traveling which is the greatest challenge. The players will be at risk which makes this a hard decision."

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