Cricket during covid-19: A multifaceted challenge
The initial response of the world sports fraternity to the Covid-19 could be summed up as: We don't need sports right now; we need to save our lives. The debate and dilemma over whether to opt for life or livelihood continued. In reality, everything is not halted, although there is hardly any sign of a downturn of infection and death due to the invisible enemy. Sport has also resumed in different parts of the world with different measures. The question now is: What will we do? Would it be wise to resume sport, particularly cricket, in our country? How long will we be able to keep away from the action when some other countries have started the new normal? Can we think of something out of the ordinary, or innovative, to get the national cricketers in particular back to the field of play so that they are primed when cricket does resume? After already three months of inactivity, how devastating would continued time away from cricket and training be for players' fitness, skill and mental health, as well as the revenue issue? Former BCB president Saber Hossain Chowdhury already said the board is lagging behind other countries when it comes to thinking outside the box to face the new normal. On the other hand, BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that there was hardly any chance of Bangladesh – not the most attractive Test opposition – being left out of the loop when cricket resumes, because there are structures in place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) to negate that. Should the ICC be expected to stick to its position -- having been known to succumb to power tactics in the past -- when all boards will be desperate to recoup losses? To unearth the answers The Daily Star Sport talked with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials, coaches, players and experts as cricket is the main sport in the country and it has huge value in terms of generating revenue.
--Sports Editor
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