Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
- Shoaib Bashir receives a PCA prayer mat on the occasion of South Asian Heritage Month
- South Asian Heritage Month runs between 18 July and 17 August
- Bashir said: “It is a great initiative from the PCA because it’s very helpful for me, being a religious man”
As part of South Asian Heritage Month, England spinner Shoaib Bashir was one of a number of PCA members to benefit from receiving a PCA branded prayer mat.
Bashir revealed the delivery on the Under The Lid podcast with Jack Brooks and Katherine Sciver-Brunt and explained the significance of his heritage and faith in an insightful look into the life of the 20-year-old.
South Asian Heritage Month was a significant talking point on episode 20 that aired on Thursday 15 August. First celebrated in 2020, the awareness campaign runs between 18 July to 17 August. Its main aim is to celebrate South Asian cultures, histories and communities to the UK with South Asia.
The theme for this year’s heritage month is ‘Free to Be Me’ which is an initiative to celebrate the unique journeys of each individual in shaping everyone’s lives.
Bashir is a practising Muslim, making a prayer mat a very important item to carry with him. A prayer mat enables people of faith the freedom to pray in any environment even whilst being away from a place of worship.
Bashir was not the only England international to receive a prayer mat. Double World Cup winner Moeen Ali personally collected his mat from the PCA office earlier this month.
The prayer mats, subtly branded with the PCA logo, were produced following consultation with members and were provided to the PCA by Umbrella Faith, an organisation based in Cardiff.
Bashir is currently part of the England Test setup. Having already played a crucial role in helping his country secure a series win against the West Indies, he will form part of the team which will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match series.
The 20-year-old has already picked up 26 wickets in just six Test matches, including three five-wicket hauls, and opened up on his life so far during the episode, revealing how he was told he wasn’t good enough by Surrey and how Ben Stokes has been like a brother to him.
England spinner, Bashir, said: “I am part of the culture, my Mum and Dad are Pakistani. I love my heritage because that makes me, me, and I think it should be celebrated especially with what is going on in the world.
“Being someone who has had a bit of success in cricket and being from Pakistani background, I feel like I do have a role to influence younger guys to take up the sport. I do want to act as a role model for them to get them into the sport because without that we won’t have a diverse cricketing community.
“As a practising Muslim, we pray five times a day on a prayer mat. I got the offer to have one, so I did take one. I normally take it when we travel a lot, so I think it is a great initiative from the PCA because it’s very helpful for me being a religious man, so thank you PCA.”
PCA Director of People, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Donna Fraser, said: “Through our extensive work and consultation with our members, we felt it would be appropriate to offer PCA prayer mats to our members who observe prayer to recognise the diverse faith and religions within our membership.
“We have been delighted at the response with many members requesting and appreciating this gesture.”
Umbrella Faith Chief Executive, Sadique Maskeen, said: “Embrace diversity and foster inclusion; together, we can create a workplace where everyone can thrive and find wellbeing.”
If any PCA member would like to receive a PCA prayer mat, please do get in touch by emailing equality@thepca.co.uk.
Listen to the full podcast here.
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
