Until recently, I had held the Trevor Chappel's infamous under-arm bowling to New Zealand as the blackest day for Cricket. It involved only Cricketers. Cricket has suffered a lot, Starting the Kerry Packer's rebel Australian Cricket, South Africa alienated from International Cricket for practising apartheid, non-Asian cricketing teams declining to visit Sri Lanka in the 1996 world cup, Pakistan unable to host any series due to the American war in Afghanistan, India and Pakistan not touring each other for more than a decade, due to cross-border terrorism and the list goes on.
Only very recently, did Pakistan began to host visiting cricketing teams despite the New Zealand cricket team, narrowly escaped a deadly bomb blast in the hotel in which they had stayed. England had to abandon the Indian One Day International series, due to the terrorist attack in Mumbai and even the Champions League Trophy was also abandoned due to the attack. But, never had the cricketers been in the direct line of fire. Never had they been attacked or victimised, until today, when terrorists began opening fire on the Sri Lankan cricket team.
India should have toured Pakistan, earlier this year. But for the Mumbai terrorist attacks, even the central Government, without assessing the security arrangements would have given a go ahead for the Pakistan tour. Let us not forget, the Indian Cricket team, had just been to Pakistan to play the ICC Asia Cup tournament.
Cricketers are better prepared to face deadly beemars from fast bowlers, but certainly not the bullets from a terrorists guns. After all, what do the terrorists want is nobody's guess. When a country like India had declined to tour on security grounds (this is the official reason given, if not this is the real reason), what is the compulsion for Sri Lanka to arrange for a tour in the last moment? The claim by the Sri Lankan Cricket board is that the board stands to gain 10 million USD with this tour. Aren't the lives of the cricketers more precious?
With this dastardly act of terror, Pakistan stands to lose a long way. The ICC champions trophy, which was supposed to have been held in 2008 was postponed to 2009. But now, it wouldn't be held in Pakistan. No Cricketing team would Pakistan until today's incidents remain in their minds. Pakistan is a co-host of the 2011 World Cup. The ICC has already begun considering Pakistan to be a venue of a few matches. If other cricket teams decline to visit Pakistan, then Pakistan Cricket team has to choose neutral venues like Sharjah (though I differ from the fact that this is a neutral venue for Pakistan) to play its future series. This not only means that there is a loss of revenue for the already ailing Pakistan Cricket board, but it has to spend a lot in organising the cricket matches in venues like Sharjah. Until then, let us hope, let there be no more terrorist attach in any part of the world on anybody.
Let us pray for the speedy recovery for the cricketers who have been injured. Let the souls of those brave policemen, who gave up their lives in their mission of saving the cricketers rest in peace. Let God give their families strength to recoup from this irrecoverable loss.
6 comments:
Its definitely the shame for the country hosting cricket...India felt the same during the England tour even though the original roots for the Mumbai blasts are from Pak.
why the terror groups are aiming Cricketers is anybody's guess. But nevertheless the lax security arrangements by the Pakistan Cricket Board and hawaldars with thin sticks is not morale boosting the cricket community or the million fanz across the world.I think pakistan should look at internal problems with the terror camps and play cricket and gamble of people's life later..
A comprehensive post Vijay :)
What I have felt was how a 10 to 12 members terrorist group was able to lauch this attack on a high security provided to the bus which is used for travel by players. And none of them were captured. See how efficient are their security personnels..
Nobody will travel to Pakistan for atleast a year.. Srilankan players have took a brave decision to go and play there.. but it is completely backfired.. no no.. fired on themselves.. For me Pakistan has become a failed state... I am praying for their people.. as they are already going under the Taliban rule :(
The Indian cricketers are lucky that they were not forced to tour Pakistan.
There are news reports suggesting that the terrorists were actually lying in wait for the Pakistani team bus and they fired at the Sri Lankan bus to block the way.
The Pakistan cricketers were lucky to escape as they were running late.
enaku konjam confuse aah iruke...
etho unga blog??
If Trevor Chappell's underarm was the blackest day in cricket (though I'd have thought matchfixing in South Africa, India and probably other places would have rated a little worse for the game), then cricket has had a wonderful journey over the last 150 years. This incident will forever change cricket ruling out playing in Pakistan for many years. With only ten test playing nations and Zimbabwe also out of bounds at present, the game cannot afford to lose locations for play and hence support for this wonderful game.
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