Ban on saliva will turn bowlers into robots: Wasim Akram

Sultan of Swing, Wasim Akram, has expressed concern over the ban on putting saliva on the ball, saying it would affect the bowlers’ performance and turn them into robots.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a number of guidelines for starting sports activities amid the coronavirus pandemic, including a ban on putting saliva on the ball.

Talking to Agence France-Presse (AFP) in this regard, Akram said that this ban will make bowlers robots, coming and bowling without swing. When they come and bowl without swing, they have to wait for the ball to get old and rough for them to get swing.

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The former captain said that this is a strange situation for me because I grew up swinging the ball with the help of saliva.

“Sweat is just something of an add-on, a top-up. Too much use of sweat will leave the cricket ball too wet,” the left-arm fast bowler added.

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With the help sweat, Wasim Akram said that it is not possible to swing the ball in cold conditions.

Akram said: “I believe that they will need to find a reasonable solution. Artificial substances like Vaseline could be used to swing the ball but how much of it?

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