The ICC has advised its member nations to exercise caution while resuming cricket activities, fearing a spurt in local transmission with many countries still struggling to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
Safety first is one of the primary considerations of the ICC’s back-to-cricket guidelines and involving the Governments at all stages is a must.
“The resumption of cricket activities should begin only if there is no perceived or known risk that doing so might result in an increase in the local transmission rate,” the ICC said in its guidelines.
While England remains one of the most affected countries, major cricket-playing nations such as India and Pakistan have seen a spike in the number of coronavirus positive cases in recent weeks.
The world governing body of the sport added: “Every effort should be made to ensure that risks associated with the cricket environment — field of play, training venue, changing rooms, equipment, management of the ball have been mitigated before any training session or match.”
Under the subhead Government advice, the apex body guidelines stated, “ICC Members (and their own cricket communities) should be guided by the advice of their respective Governments in relation to when sporting activity is resumed.
“Where sporting activities has been expressly forbidden by Governments, no cricket activity should commence until approval to do so has been obtained from the Government.”
Government advice should also be sought in relation to “travel restrictions (domestic and international) and quarantine requirements”.
The ICC has also called for the need to educate players and all other stakeholders on the updated safety protocols in what is going to be a vastly different world. Sharing of equipment will become a thing of the past.
“Wherever possible, items of cricket equipment should not be shared with anyone else unless an appropriate cleaning protocol is followed.
“Players should be advised to minimise the use of changing rooms, shower facilities and other communal areas. “Where possible, players should be encouraged to shower and change at home instead of at match and training venues.”