“We will be asking our medical board and the players to review whether the protective gear they are using are up to the mark”

Image courtesy of: news.com.au

Following the tragic death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have announced that they will be reviewing all the protective gear worn by the national team.

A PCB official told PTI that all the protective gear worn by national players is manufactured in Australia.

“At the moment the policy is that we order these helmets from Australia for the players who graduate into the national team,” the official said. “And after the Phil Hughes tragedy we will be asking our medical board and the players to review whether the protective gear they are using are up to the mark.”

However, while the PCB try to equip players with the helmets they order from Australia, many members of the national team choose to wear their own helmets instead.

“We did try to get them to use only the helmets we provide them but it was not practically possible since many of them are more comfortable with the helmets they order themselves according to their requirements,” the official said. “The ICC also formed a medical commission to review the protective gear available to players these days but after some meetings it came to a standstill.

“We have asked Dr [Sohail] Saleem to start a review because right now there is concern that the visors or grills used by players are not strong enough to keep out a ball.

“The Phil Hughes incident is a big tragedy and everyone has been shaken by it but I think the cricket community needs to learn from it and focus on ensuring manufacturers provide the best protective gear.”