LAHORE: The sweltering heat of the Middle East summer will affect batsmen more than the bowlers when the remainder of the HBL-Pakistan Super League season begins in Abu Dhabi from June 9, reckons former Pakistan paceman Sarfraz Nawaz.

“Under the new rules, fielders and bowlers have easy excess to water, fruits and energy drinks during the innings as they are able to collect those from outside the boundary,” Sarfraz said. “But a batsman, in the middle and set for a big innings, might face problems due to dehydration.”

The mercury is set to rise to 40 degrees Celsius in Abu Dhabi next week with current humidity levels of 67 percent and Sarfraz said that “it will affect the performance of the players”.

He added that the bio-secure bubble environment created to hold the remaining tournament due to the Covid-19 pandemic, also affects the players mentally. “But since the monetary interest is high in modern-day cricket, the players are willing to bear the hardships,” he said.

He said that the Pakistan Cricket Board acted “in haste” to shift the remaining games of the PSL, which was suspended in March due to Covid-19 cases in the bio-secure bubble in Karachi, to the UAE.

“The matches could’ve been held in Pakistan as Covid-19 cases were on the decline here,” he said. “With Pakistan due to host New Zealand, England and Australia in the coming months, holding the PSL here would’ve given the PCB an opportunity to test their ability to effectively maintain a bio-secure bubble.”

Sarfraz also slammed the decision of Pakistan chief selector to announce the teams for the tours of England and the West Indies before the conclusion of the PSL. “Those who perform well in the PSL now don’t have a chance to get a place in the national team,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2021