The global pandemic of Coronavirus has hit many livelihoods and sports fraternity is not immune to it.
In a latest example of how COVID-19 has hit sports, the Under -16 level coach of Pakistan batting star and limited over format captain Babar Azam is selling fruits to survive.
Rana Sadiq, a club-level cricket coach in Lahore has turned into a fruit seller in order to mitigate the financial impact caused by suspension of sports activities due to COVID-19.
Sadiq was serving as a coach at two registered clubs – Ghulam Qadir Club & Zafar Memorial Cricket Club at Karsan Ground – when the lockdown began. Subsequently, he, along with his colleagues, was furloughed by their clubs, forcing him to look elsewhere to make his living.
“I had been working as a cricket coach for the last 15 years. I love the grass and the ground and it’s a pleasure to see the young ones playing the game,” Sadiq told Geo News.
“I worked as a coach with a district U-19 team and a senior district grade 2 management. I’ve taught game skills to Babar Azam at U-16 level, and he is now captaining Pakistan in limited overs. All-rounder Hussain Talat and Agha Salman are amongst my students too, ” He said.
“In these unprecedented times, all the cricket activities are at a halt and there is nothing going on the grounds. But i have to run my kitchen and fulfill my kids needs so I opted to be a fruit vendor rather than a cricket coach who is just sitting at home and waiting for the pandemic to end.”