Thousands and thousands of blog and news entries have been written about Lankan cricketers coming under fire in Lahore. It is a very sad event, very sad for the brave Lankan cricketers and their families; very sad for the security personnel who died to save the Lankan cricketers; very sad for Pakistani cricketers and Pakistani cricket and last but not the least Pakistani public.
When no other cricket playing nation was ready to tour Pakistan, the Lankan board did. It was a brave decision. It is important to remember that the Lankan board was under lot of financial stress. They needed the money and the Pakistan board need home series. And voila! they both found an understanding and the Lankan players were flown off to Pakistan. The Lankan players, I am not sure, had much say in that. They might have sympathised with the financial position of their board or maybe it was a part of a deal in letting the players attend the IPL. Anyways, off the brave Lankan Lions flew!
The last time Pakistan played a test match at home was in early2008 or late 2007. The Pakistani cricket team has always been one with loads and loads of raw talent. Every other year, they unearth a teenager who plays in the international level with no difficulty. They have established batters and their fast bowling talent pool needs introduction only in non-cricketing nations. These players have little or no cricket in the last two years. Just in his first test match in a long time Younus went on to make a majestic 300+.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has been in a pickle ever since its inception. Team politics, drug abuse, match fixing, terrorism, mysterious death, battle with rebel league. You name it and they have faced it. Their board is the single most experienced body in the world in tackling the media. I am not sure they are proud of it. But they don't seem to have a way out of it. In the last two years, they have been bending over their back in trying to get the other teams to tour Pakistan. They have been fighting off the inhibitions of all other boards and also of ICC. They are supposed to host 2011 world cup. This would be a huge financial bust for the board and tourism of the country.
The Pakistani public have been forced to watch quality test cricket on TV or watch first-class matches. They love their cricket as much as any sub-continental country. They would have missed cheering for their favourite team on the grounds. They would surely have missed the Rawalpindi express steaming in and delivering balls at screaming pace; they would have missed Younus and Younis send the ball crashing to the boundaries. After more than a year, they got their wish, but cruel fate would take that away from them quickly. They cannot expect to see a home test in another two years.
In all this the security personnel are easily forgotten. They are the faceless people who have sacrificed their lives to save the Lankan lives. Not just the Lankan lives, they have also saved whatever pride is left in the Pakistani government. Had any Lankan player been injured gravely, the whole world would found satisfaction in calling Pakistan a 'failed state'. This is not time to blame Pakistan, it is time to help Pakistan come to terms and fight the terror inside. And Pakistan still has time to save its face and come out good, is thanks to these security personnel. I hope they rest in peace. I also hope the government looks after the families of its fallen heroes. The Lankans owe their lives to these heroes.
Terrorists won't hurt cricketers? Time to think again.
