Adil Rashid to miss white-ball series against India for Hajj pilgrimage
PTI, Jun 24, 2022, 10:35 AM IST
London:
England will be without the services of Adil Rashid in next month’s white-ball series against India as the leg-spinner has received clearance from the country’s cricket board (ECB) to make Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Rashid, a practicing Muslim, will fly to Saudi Arabia on Saturday, which means he will also miss the latter stages of Yorkshire’s T20 Blast campaign.
”I’ve been wanting to do it for a little while but I’ve found it pretty difficult with the timings. This year, I felt as though it was something that I had to do, and something I wanted to do as well,” Rashid told ‘ESPNcricinfo’.
”I spoke to the ECB and to Yorkshire about it and they were very understanding and encouraging, like: ‘yep, you do what you’ve got to do and then come back when you can’. ”I and the missus are going and I’ll be there for a couple of weeks,” he added.
Rashid was part of England’s recently-concluded tour of the Netherlands, where the visitors comfortably bagged the three-match ODI series 3-0.
”It’s a massive moment: each faith has got their own different thing but for Islam and being a Muslim, this is one of the biggest ones,” Rashid said. ”It’s a big thing for my faith and for myself. I knew that I needed to do it while I’m young and strong and healthy. This is something that I really committed to myself that I would do.” India takes on hosts England in a white-ball series, including three T20Is and as many ODIs from July 7 to 17.
Rashid is expected to miss all six games as he is likely to return in mid-July, ahead of England’s white-ball series against South Africa. But the 34-year-old asserted that the decision to go on the holy pilgrimage ”was irrelevant to cricket.” ”It wasn’t like, right, I’m playing against India – I’d better not go. That didn’t really cross my mind. It was purely: right, I’m going – the decision was irrelevant of cricket, in that sense,” Rashid said.
”All I had to do was speak to Yorkshire and England and get their go-ahead. That was very easy and they were very understanding. To have that backing from your county and from your country, it feels like a big boost.”
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
India crawl to 51 for 4 after losing top-order
Mohammed Shami ridicules Sanjay Manjrekar over comments on reduced IPL value
There’s potential for disruption in India camp with Rohit coming back in Adelaide: Ponting
We are not carrying baggage from New Zealand series: Bumrah
Argentina football team, featuring Lionel Messi, to play in Kerala next year
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Baku climate talks: The ‘X’ factor that could determine future of Global South
Kerala HC denies bail to police officer accused of ‘raping’ minor Dalit girl
Global Bhagavad Gita Quiz Announced: Registration now open
Kasaragod: Husband murders woman PSI
Puttur: Private bus crashes into house to avoid collision with school bus
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.