The decision on the part of the BCCI to follow the government mandate not to tour Pakistan has not gone down with the people of Pakistan and the players themselves are venting their ire.
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Shahid Afridi was leading the pack of Pakistan cricketers who are clearly miffed at India’s decision which has further exacerbated Pakistan’s woeful lack of cricket at home. Sparing no one, Afridi expressed that by deciding not tour even when Pakistan government was promising security, India were sending out wrong signals that Pakistan is not a safe country.
Yesterday, Prof. Ratnakar Shetty issued a statement to the effect to announce that the tour to Pakistan was off, “We received a communication from the government stating that it is not feasible to tour Pakistan in the present circumstances.” With the BCCI then conveying the same to the PCB has led to Ejaz Butt, Chairman of the PCB, stating that it was a “disappointment” and “something which will hurt Pakistan cricket badly — but it was beyond our control.”
Butt further stated his own frustration, "We tried our best to save the series...I went to India myself to discuss the matter with my Indian counterpart and know for sure that the Indian cricket board was also very keen on playing the series. But in the end it was a political decision."
While India remains optimistic of hosting the World Cup jointly with Pakistan in 2011, the response from Pakistan to India’s decision has been rather critical but also expected. Afridi was angry over the fact that the Pakistan team had arrived in India in the past based solely on India’s assurances over security arrangements and that India have not reciprocated the sentiment when the shoe was on the other foot.
He also stated that cricket with India was an essential component towards “normalizing relations with Pakistan.”
It is a sentiment also shared by former fast bowler Safraz Nawaz. He took a scathing view of things stating that while one expected the Asian bloc to get stronger, it would not be possible if Asian countries did not even agree to play amongst themselves. He was quoted by the Associated Press as saying, “It's a big disappointment and a setback to Asian cricket,» former test fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz told The Associated Press. «The terrorism acts could happen anywhere in the world, but that does not mean that sports activities should come to a halt.”
Former wicketkeeper Rashid Latif though once again raised the heckles when he stated, "We should respond to India’s decision to cancel the series by breaking ties with them...The way the Indian government and their media have been acting after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, Pakistan should have itself called off the series.
He continues to urge Pakistan players to "boycott the Indian Premier League and the Indian Cricket League. The cricketers are our ambassadors and if they won’t react (to the series cancellation) break ties with the Indian leagues then who will act on our behalf?"
Abdul Qadir, the chief selector in Pakistan’s cricket set up took a more pragmatic view of things and felt that it was no longer a matter between the BCCI and the PCB but rather with the governments and because of that, it was impossible to break this tide.
Pakistan are now set to lose about Rs. 1.55 billion on account of India's refusal to tour and approximately 140.5 million dollars in television rights deal with the Gulf-based Ten Sports channel.
Pakistan are now hoping Sri Lanka, unlike India, will accept the invitation to tour now that India has called off their tour and thereby, help Pakistan tide over the threat of further negative perceptions and also, tide over some of their financial setbacks.
Indo Pak Dreams – Only Dreams?
More Explosive reading material about tours across the border:
Inzy Against Cutting Ties Borne out of Cricket
Fraternal Relations Taking Their Toll
Pakistani Patriotism-- Boycott ICL and IPL
Butt Expresses Danger of Parallel Cricket Worlds
Canceling a Tour - an Indian Perspective
Pakistan: Seeing a Parallel Revival?
afridi sehwag 4RwXb 17022
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