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Former New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has supported India pacer Mohammed Shami’s call to revoke the saliva ban on the ball in international cricket to assist bowlers in getting reverse swing from the ball. The International Cricket Council had, in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic as a temporary measure, barred players from using saliva to polish the ball. In September 2022, it was permanently banned by the ICC.
After India’s four-wicket win over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final, Shami said, “We are trying [to get reverse swing], but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed. We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting.”
Supporting Shami’s call, Southee urged the ICC to revoke the ban on using saliva to shine the ball. “That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage. I think there needs to be something in the bowlers’ favour,” Southee said on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day.
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