•Newly appointed Tanzania coach Tikolo said the postponement was the best thing to do at the moment
•Angara, who has been in Botswana since 2015, said he was quite relieved with the ICC announcement.
Image: FILE
Former national cricket team players now serving as national coaches across the continent have welcomed International Cricket Association’s decision to postpone all qualifying events for the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup and 50-overs version in 2023 earlier set to be held before June 30.
Steve Tikolo, Martin Suji and Joseph Angara who are now coaching national teams in Tanzania, Rwanda and Botswana respectively lauded ICC’s move to alter their calendar until the current global health crisis is contained.
The three former national teammates were preparing their respective teams for the 2020/21 men’s T20 World Cup Africa qualifier earlier scheduled for April 27 to May 3 in South Africa.
Newly appointed Tanzania coach Tikolo said the postponement was the best thing to do at the moment. “I think they’ve made the right decision because, at the end of the day, our safety is more important than sport,” he said. Tanzania cricket authorities had already cancelled national team training sessions before the ICC announcement.
Suji, who has been in Rwanda since October last year, has been under lockdown for a week now. He said even though he was not sure when things will get back to normal, everyone’s health was important at this juncture.
“Obviously, from a cricketer’s point of view, the news is a bit of a blow. But you’ve got to put into perspective what is actually going on in the world,” Suji said. He was hopeful his players will find time to undertake personal fitness during this period.
“I have 100 per cent trust in my players to go away and keep themselves in good shape,” he said. Angara, who has been in Botswana since 2015, said he was quite relieved with the ICC announcement. “I think it’s absolutely necessary to take precaution,” the former Kenya U-19 coach said.
He said he was fully supportive of the decision but acknowledged it was a blow for the cricket in Botswana
“It’s disappointing to cancel such a tournament when everyone has invested a lot in training but we all understand why the decision had to be taken,” he said.