Former Australian cricketer and Pakistan Coach, Geoff Lawson, has advised Australian captain, Pat Cummins, to listen to Azan on his upcoming tour to Pakistan.
Lawson has recently penned down an article for ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’ on the upcoming tour of Australia to Pakistan in which he talked about various aspects of the tour. Lawson said that he is not concerned about the security of the Australian Cricket Team because Pakistan’s security agencies are experienced, professional and well-equipped.
Geoff Lawson "Once or twice Pat Cummins should wake early and admire the call to prayers. Azan literally means to listen, to hear and to be informed about – all which are methods to understand and thence to improve" #PAKvAUS #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) February 12, 2022
Lawson said that the conditions in Pakistan are quite unusual for the Australian cricket team and hence they will have to adapt to the local conditions quickly.
“The issue for Cummins and the team is what brand of cricket they will play, or will be allowed to play. They will be unlikely to have conditions similar to those of the recent Ashes, where pitches suited seam and swing bowling and therefore made a potent Australian attack irresistible,” said Lawson.
“Australia will most likely need Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson in all three Tests, and that will require a whole new perspective from Cummins on team selections, match tactics, cricket diplomacy, and waking up about 5 am as the local mosques call out the azan,” he added.
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Hence, Lawson advised Cummins to listen to Azaan to understand the culture of Pakistan. “Once or twice he should wake early and admire the call. Azan literally means “to listen”, “to hear”, “to be informed about” – all methods to understand and thence to improve,” he further stated. “Learning about the culture of Pakistan’s people will be an asset to understanding their motivations and how their team goes about their favorite sport. This tour will not just be about cricket matches.”
Australia is set to tour Pakistan in March next month after nearly two decades.