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Pakistani starter Imam-ul-Haq is skeptical of playing international cricket with no fans in the venues, calling it “strange”. He believed he would see much of the charm of lost cricket, particularly if the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin in October in Australia, were played in empty stadiums. Imam is the first player from Pakistan to express cautious opposition to the idea of playing without fans present, after test captain Azhar Ali cautiously supported him last week.
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“I feel like crowd-free cricket is weird,” Imam said during a video news conference. “If the World T20 takes place, I would like to see crowds in the tournament. There is a charm in the entire houses for the players, and all the dynamics and atmosphere change when the crowds are present. Ultimately, it is a decision for the ICC and the respective boards, and I’m sure they’ll consult the players before they decide. We’ve all heard that the World T20 may be postponed, but let’s hope for the best and that the situation improves in the next month or so. ” We must also take into account the safety of the players and the public. “
Imam also supported the idea of improving athletes’ access to mental health in Pakistan, something that was eased with brakes on people’s movements and stay-at-home orders implemented around the world. Reduced opportunities for outdoor exercise and confinement indoors may not be ideal for mental health, but Imam believed that making it a priority at all times would lead, among other benefits, to better results on the cricket ground.
“Mental health is a very important aspect,” said Imam. “Even in cricket, if you miss two or three times, there’s a lot of mental strain on you. People wonder if you’ve gotten over it or if you’ll ever get back in shape.”
“We had a coach who came to work on our mental health [Taimur Ali Khan] before the World Cup, and he worked with all the players. We need to work on this aspect as much as possible. If a player is mentally strong, he can also handle the pressure on the field much better. The board is working to improve this side of things, but I think we could do much more. “
The coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down cricket, and almost all sporting activity worldwide, has meant the Future Tours Program (FTP) and the cricket schedule for the rest of the year has been disorganized. Several tours and series have been suspended or postponed, including England’s test series in Sri Lanka, as well as India’s ODI series at home against South Africa. There is also no clarity on the status of the T20 World Cup. So far, only one international match, the first ODI between Australia and New Zealand, has been held in a closed stadium, and the three-match series was canceled after that.
The pandemic-induced blockade has allowed Imam to take stock of a career that may still be in its early stages. While the left-hander is among the most prominent names in the Pakistani setup, his struggles with form have taken him on the Test side. Abid Ali’s explosive start to his Test and ODI career has now resulted in increased competition at the top of the order. Imam appreciated the challenge, but admitted that the hack on the Test side in Australia hurt him.
“I am a Pakistani cricket player, and every cricket player wants to play in all three formats,” he said. “You learn from your experiences, and that is true for me as much as for everyone else. My responsibility and focus is to do my best. I played only one test match in Australia, after which I was abandoned because I did not perform in two. entry [scored 2 and 0]. He was obviously upset as he believed he would have another chance in Pakistan.
“But you don’t always get what you want. I acted in ODI cricket to start, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to start the same way in test cricket, too. And when things don’t go right the way you want, all you need to do is work harder. I’m still part of the test squad, and even though I’m not in XI, I’m just as happy and proud to serve as the twelfth man as I am starter. When I get a chance, I’ll try to take it. I didn’t play 35-40 tests, I only played 11, and they all came out of Pakistan, but I learned from them and tried to iron out the mistakes I made, I thought about my mentality and tried to replicate the mentality I have in ODI in test cricket.
“I have been playing for two or three years because I can handle the pressure. Because if you are a cricket player from Pakistan and you cannot handle the pressure, I don’t think you can be too successful. As for the pressure from the media, I ‘ I have had it throughout my career, and sometimes it has bothered me, at others it has made me laugh. I just try to channel any criticism towards motivation for self-improvement, because I think it is the most constructive thing I can do. “
