With the ‘successful’ completion of the domestic Twenty20 Super Eight tournament in Rawalpindi, there have been calls for brining international cricket back to the country.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been trying to convince its international counterparts that the country is ready to host international matches again. One such attempt led to inviting Bangladesh for a short series this month (April) before Pakistan leave for their tour of Sri Lanka at the end of May. While officials, including the chief, of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) visited Pakistan for assessment of the security situation, there has been no confirmation from the BCB about the tour.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, sent their one-day team for a series against the Pakistan ‘A’ (reserves) team late last year. The three-match tour was completed without any problems but failed to attract large crowds at the stadiums.
The T20 Super Eights, however, were a great hit with the crowds. The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was a full house through out the eight-day tournament, as fans poured in to watch there national heroes from up close. The broadcasters and the organisers reiterated the PCB’s aim of bringing international cricket back all through the tournament, with vox pops with officials of the board, sponsors and fans. The final word came from the winning captain Shoaib Malik, who has said that Pakistan is ready to host international teams again.
While all the signs in Rawalpindi were heartening and PCB seems very serious about its mission, the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team remains a gory reminder of how bad things had gone back then.
Based on the success of the domestic tournament, passion of the local fans and reassurances given by the PCB, is it right to say that Pakistan is safe for international cricket?
Will cricket boards feel safe sending their teams to Pakistan?
If not, what additional measures should the PCB take to convince the international cricket community?
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i dont understand the Rules
Of course! Pakistan is a safe place to be used for international cricket events.I believe it is an international conspiracy to ruin Pakistan sports specially cricket and hokey.
right now pak is not safe for its own people check out miniorties so personaly i think no team like to tour pak right now
Well,
Not only bombs and something like target killing is the cause of this. The drones attacks are also here, in a sovereign country as govt. says.
biggest problem of us is that there is nobody who follows the law, from tail to head no one is ready to do so.
It’s prime responsibility of govt to make sure that all it’s citizen are safe, but here they are not sure about lives and rest of the things so, how they can be responsible for anything else.
Is Pakistan a safer country today than it was when Sri Lankan team was attacked? Have all the militants been arrested? Are tourists flocking to Pakistani shores? Is the police more efficient? If the answers to above questions are NO then let’s not have foreign teams on our soil.
Totally agree
The solution, I believe, is for PCB to focus more on domestic cricket, making such tournaments more frequent, and more and more like the recent Super 8 T20, so that money and sponsorship flows to build the domestic infrastructure, and provide livelihood to club, first-class and regional players, strengthening our cricket from the base level.
This is an opportunity to do what we have not achieved in many decades – bring our domestic cricket at par with what the other Test-playing countries have in place.
What we have not been able to achieve in decades, might be easier to achieve now specifically because of the current state of affairs.
I am of Pakistani origin, yet I think it is absolutely crazy in insisting that foreign teams visit Pakistan. Those people who are insisting on it are delusional. They are living in a fool’s paradise. It is not safe at all to have foreign teams playing in stadiums with thousands of innocent people watching. Assuring fool proof security is a scam. Every week there is a bomb blast some where in the country and the security personnel can do nothing about it. Have we already forgotten what happened to the cricket team of Sri Lanka. I hope and pray a thing like that never ever happens again. At this time Pakistan is not safe at all to visit for any cricket team. Any high profile visit will attract the criminals that are abounding right now. First the ground reality should improve before foreign teams are allowed in. Those who are insisting are doing it to satisfy their egos ( although they claim they are doing it for the cricket lovers of the country). Just imagine what will happen to Pakistan’s reputation if a visiting cricket team is attacked again like the one from Sri Lanka.
Do you really believe in the safeness of players ……….its a joke.
Change your mindset dudes …the most wanted terrorists are staying in pakistan….The recent Osama’s killing was the example…
I dont think its still safe for international players to come and play here in Pakistan. We need to work really hard towards our security – which seems impossible in the presence of the present regime.
The million dollar answer to this is that currently Pakistan is not safe for international cricket. The Pakistani people are cricket lovers and they will definitely grab whatever tournament will come their way. A successful domestic tournament does not mean that all the cricket boards would be ready to send their teams in a conflict hit state. As for the coming of Bangladeshi team to Pakistan it is still tentative. Logically speaking the current situation of Pakistan regarding Karachi, Peshawar, Balouchistan, daily strikes etc would definitely discourage not only the cricket team’s arrival to Pakistan but would also tarnish the already distorted tourist industry. The Cricket board alone cannot do anything. It is up to the government that they should seriously consider the precarious state situation. Thus, if measures are not taken then the cricket game on Pakistani grounds would never take place and will make the stadiums all dusty and void. Thus, the government needs to wake up before everything goes in to isolation.
Well other teams are not willing to risk their lives based on the ‘everything will be safe InshAllah’ philospohy.. Why should they risk their lives. What will they get out of it?
To the question posed by the editorial in terms of what needs to happen to reassure international cricket teams – you cannot look at cricket in isolation. With so much hatred against white people in Pakistan that even 70 year old NGO worker is not spared, surely you do not expect England, Australia, NZ or SOuth Africa to send their teams. After what happened to the Sri Lankan team, you can hardly expect them to venture. As for India – anyone who has heard the venom in DPC rallies would surely not take the chance. Bangladesh is your best best for international cricket in Pakistan.
Once there is relative peace and harmony in the country, then and only then will international teams come to Pakistan.
Yes, Lets invite them to Karachi and play in Lyari. Its is safe for cricket.
PCB should evaluate Ground Realities of Pakistan. Everyday Bomb Blasts, Killings, Violence & Terrorist Attacks.
Boycot of Pakistan was started by india and Australia well before the current terrorism did. The same Australia and Engalnd were willing to visit india after multiple bombings there.
security now is an excuse for and old agenda .
And both India and Australia were found to be RIGHT in not touring Pakistan in the light of what happened with Sri Lankan team. Is it not?
Looking from outside and read and watch the sad state of mass ignorance at work in the streets of Pakistan. I doubt any country in the world will take the risk of sending their teams to this lawless country. It is ver sad…
There’s an article in this very newspaper today that talks about how powerless the police are at arresting religious fundamentalists, even when they are banned in Pakistan. Here’s the link..
http://www.dawn.com/2012/04/02/when-a-banned-religious-leader-leaves-capital-police-red-faced-2.html
International teams would need to have a death wish to play in a country that takes such a soft stand on terror emanating from its soil. The problem is that Pakistanis look upon terror as “jihad” when the target is Indian and see it as an “external hand” when the target is Pakistani.
This is hence something that is beyond the power of the PCB.
I totally agree with you it seems to be a superficial thought to invite any team
International Teams should tour pakistan but that should be under a REAL FOOL PROOF SECURITY only
Don’t think any country will be willing to take that risk.
Yes, we are safe for domestic cricket but when it comes to internatinal cricket Ihave my doubts.
Not because our securities agencies are not capable but they are on pay roll of terorist organization(so many leaders of these organisaton are commiting these activity and no body can touch them) and off course our incompetent political leaders. I totaly disagree with people who are suggesting international team to visit pakistan they are in denial.
I don’t think after reading your news papers, somebody form any country will like to visit your country as everyday there are bomb blasts or killings of average 2-3 persons which is really alarming ! either stop the killings or stop writing about it. I am from canada & it really makes me feel sad to see the ground situation in pakistan !
surely!!! we are cricket lovers and all will go right if any team visit #Pakisan. #InShaAllah
Wake up to realities and stop dreaming………
whether other boards will agree or not,that’s secondary.
primary matter is, is actually pak is safe now? or we will bring precious players life at risk?
another Q.rise here.. are PPL games will only b played in stadium where faysal T20 happened? Rwp only? if yes do authorities really think that criminals operating in other cities like Khi, Khairpur, etc cant enter Rwp? Ask rehman malik, most loyal n responsible human on earth!