What's a lockdown like for a pro cricketer? Ayesha Zafar tells
Ayesha Zafar says she wants to return to playing cricket as soon as the situation eases.
Women cricket's opening batsman Ayesha Zafar on Thursday said that being unable to play during a global lockdown was very "difficult", Geo News reported.
Pakistan had to call off a proposed series of one-days and T20s in April while the ICC Women's World Cup qualifiers was also deferred to a new date.
"This was the most difficult part for me, to stay away from cricket, my routine of practicing at nets and playing matches at different grounds," she said,
The 25-year-old stated that cricket was the only thing that she has been missing during this time and was on top of her to-do lists once the situation allowed it.
Ayesha, who has represented the team in 23 ODIs and 17 T20Is, said the entire ordeal was life-changing.
"It changed our lives. We are restricted to the same routine every day and there is no social interaction with people," she said.
"I had never thought that I won't be able to go out. I stayed at home for the longest period in my life during this lockdown and for the first time I didn't step out of my home in 20 days."
However, despite being indoors, Ayesha has been maintaining her fitness.
"I am doing my workouts regularly. I am also doing zumba to keep myself fit," Ayesha said.
Ayesha's two sisters Madina Zafar and Faiza Zafar, are Pakistan's national squash players and the cricketer says that having sportspersons as siblings allowed them to keep each other motivated.
"We do share our success stories to motivate each other. In addition to that, we keep challenging each other in terms of fitness which helps us to do better, even at home," she concluded.
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