Azad leads Ramadan video diary series

Leicestershire’s Hassan Azad is appearing in a special PCA educational video series on how he celebrates the month of Ramadan alongside his playing and training schedule with the Grace Road club.

The opening batter is recording weekly installments, which will show how he combines his faith with the demands of life as a professional cricketer. The series is being distributed via the PCA’s social media channels ahead of Eid al-Fitr, which rounds off the month of celebration at the beginning of May.

Azad is an influential member of the PCA’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Working Group, a 12-strong body which aims to make sure every professional cricketer works in an inclusive environment, free from any form of discrimination.

Through the series, Azad is hoping to educate and inspire current, former and future professional cricketers, as well as fans of the game to help the sport become more inclusive.

The PCA posted an introductory video for the series last week, and you can find the first full episode starring Azad and a number of his Leicestershire colleagues below.

In episode one, Azad explains the challenges of training for three days in a row ahead of Leicestershire’s opening LV= Insurance County Championship fixture against Worcestershire.

He goes on to describe his elation at scoring a brilliant match-saving hundred in the same game, whilst also reflecting on how the performance affected him physically.

We also hear from Leicestershire’s Head of Strength and Conditioning Alex Carrie who explains how the coaching team looks after Azad’s health and wellbeing during Ramadan.

Episode two will be released following Leicestershire’s upcoming County Championship fixture away at Durham which is due to conclude on Sunday 17 April.

Ramadan, also spelled as Ramazan, is celebrated by millions of Muslims across the United Kingdom, and this year it runs from 2 April until the beginning of May. It is the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar, usually lasting between 29 – 30 days, and is observed by Muslims as a month of fasting.

During Ramadan, practising Muslims refrain from consuming food and drink, and avoid morally questionable acts such as lying or cheating between sunrise and sunset. Those participating also move closer to Allah by reciting the Quran and praying five times daily.

Although fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, there are times when individuals can be exempt from the practice, and this often applies to professional athletes.

Follow the PCA on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to keep up-to-date with Azad’s Ramadan video diary series.

Find out more about the PCA’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Working Group.