T20 World Cup 2021: ICC to provide 24-hour psychologist in bio-bubbles to deal with mental health issue

Owing to the ongoing pandemic, cricket is played all over amidst strict bio-bubble environments. The ICC has thus decided to have psychologists on board for the upcoming T20 World Cup to help the players with mental health issues whilst staying in the bio-secure environment.

Alex Marshall, who is the head of ICC’s Integrity Unit and is also the in-charge of regulating a foolproof bio-secure environment, confirmed the same. The official asserted that the mental health of the players might be affected due to a restricted environment. He further stated that a psychologist will be available 24 hours a day to help any individual.

‘If people stick to rules, we shouldn’t have any problem’ – Alex Marshall on bubble-breach

“Some people, we have to accept that their mental health will be affected in a controlled environment. The ICC will make available 24 hours a day, a psychologist to speak to any individual who seeks help.

“We are also providing a lot of resources for people to address the issue and within their own team and squads, they bring their own medical staff, have own systems in place to take care of players. But from ICC’s perspective, they have got lots of resources, very good resources and used in other sports, proven to work well, as professional support 24×7 a day for somebody who seeks it,” Marshall said during a virtual media interaction.

The official further added that the ICC understands that a few players have been in the bubble for a long and that it can take a toll on them. He also added that he expects all the teams to be responsible enough and not breach the protocols. He also hinted that the ICC won’t have a say if there is any breach and that the management of the respective team should treat it seriously.

“If people stick to rules and maintain discipline, we shouldn’t have any problem. We would expect the management of any team, if they find any person not adhering to rules, to take that very seriously. We don’t think there will be any breaches. If there is a breach that is a matter of the management of that particular team to treat that seriously. That’s as far as I can go at the moment,” he said.

Check the latest updates of the T20 World Cup schedule, T20 World cup Teams and Squads, T20 World Cup Points table, and more on CricTracker.