Srinagar, April 17: The world is a very different place right now, as the Covid-19 pandemic has taken over our lives. Most countries have imposed a lockdown on their citizens and this has obviously had a significant impact on the world of sport
Cricket fans will be aware that they are not currently able to enjoy the sport that they love. However, they may not know just how much impact Covid-19 is having on the stars of the cricket world.
Health impact on some international stars
Cricketers are just as likely as anyone else to catch the virus that is enveloping the globe. Several players have already been affected. Amongst the players who have seen their lives impacted by Covid-19 is former Scotland off-spinner Majid Haq. He tweeted from his hospital bed to let people know that he was recovering from the virus and had received excellent care.
Source of this list: justgamblers india.
Unfortunately, former Pakistan first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfraz was not so lucky. The popular 50-year-old tested positive for the virus and was placed on a ventilator in a private hospital in Peshawar when his condition deteriorated. After three days, he passed away, leaving a big gap in the cricketing world in Pakistan.
Sadly, cricket stars are not immune to the health issues created by the global Covid-19 crisis. They are also suffering other effects as a result of the pandemic.
Financial effect on players
One of the biggest effects that cricket players will have to deal with as a result of Covid-19 is a loss of money. One decision that has had a big impact on this is the official cancellation of the IPL. As India’s period of lockdown has been extended until 3 May, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that the tournament has been indefinitely postponed.
This is obviously a big blow for cricket within India. It’s also a massive financial disappointment for international star players like Ben Stokes who were expecting to make large amounts of money from their appearance at the tournament. Even if the IPL is eventually rescheduled, these players may not be able to attend as they may be involved in the completion of domestic cricket seasons. Given that the IPL is not insured for a pandemic, players and organisers could be faced with large financial losses.
The future for cricket stars
The world will eventually emerge from the grip of Covid-19. However, no-one knows when that will happen. Even when lockdowns start to be relaxed, there will probably still be restrictions on sporting events in the short term.
This means that there will be financial concerns for cricketers, and the cricketing world in general, for several months to come. This is obviously a concern for the stars who should have been gracing cricket pitches in India, and across the world. However, like everyone else, most cricketers are probably more concerned with protecting the health of themselves and others right now.