Playing under new ICC guidelines will look weird & off-putting: Sangakkara

Mumbai: The former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has said that it will look “really weird” and “off-putting” to play cricket under the new ICC guidelines, but he understands that such strict laws are the need of the hour to resume the sport.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) had recently released a comprehensive guidelines for all its member nations to resume the cricket, while maintaining the highest safety protocols.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) President Sangakkara mentioned that health and safety of the players and officials will be on the top of the priority list when the sport finally returns to the field.

“I understand the guidelines are going to restrict players, playing of the game, it’s going to look really weird, and off-putting even for me when I think about it,” Sangakkara said on Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’.

“But the priority is health and safety. Health is absolutely paramount at this time, especially for players to have the confidence to get back to cricket, to get back to playing, to have grounds may be at some point open to spectators,” he added.

Weighing on the governing body’s guidelines, the batting also legend said it is every player’s responsibility to keep the surroundings risk-free for everyone and follow all necessary protocols put in place by the government.

“It’s got to be a partnership because when you are under contract, your employer is responsible for creating a safe environment and educating the players and insisting that the environment that they come to work in is very safe,” he said.

“Players also have the responsibility in turn to understand what the government guidelines are. It’s not just about you and I, it’s also about how we spread it to other people - loved ones, the elderly in society - so you got to really be mindful of that,” he added.

Sangakara said it is important to understand that these rules are for the safety of everyone involved with the game.

“If that environment of safety and health is not there, then the doubts keep coming back, ‘Should we start, should be go back to playing?’ So, we have to be really careful there, and understand that all these new rules are to try and make it as safe as possible even though it seems very, very detailed and extensive,” he said. (UNI)