Peter Parka
Well-Known Member
Pakistan cricket future in doubt
The future of international cricket in Pakistan is in doubt following Tuesday's attack, the International Cricket Council has said.
Seven Sri Lanka players were injured in Lahore on their team bus, while six policemen escorting it were killed.
ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: "Perhaps for some time Pakistan should consider playing at neutral venues. Rather play some cricket than none.
"I'm not sure any team would be ready to play cricket in Pakistan."
The Test series with Sri Lanka, which is the first to be played in Pakistan since October 2007, was called off after the tragic incident in Lahore.
Australia withdrew from a scheduled tour to Pakistan in March last year after security concerns amid the unrest which followed the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The ICC also postponed the planned Champions Trophy as a result of problems and India's proposed tour was cancelled because of strained relations between the two nations.
But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called for the country not be abandoned by the cricket community.
"I will only say what happened today is a great tragedy," said PCB spokesman and former Test skipper Wasim Bari.
"At a time when terrorist attacks are taking place all over the world, Pakistan cricket should not be abandoned or isolated.
"It is very easy now to just say 'lets stop going to Pakistan', but we need the support of the international cricket community. We can still hold international matches. Terrorists have tried to hit cricket targets in other countries as well." New Zealand were expected to tour in November but there are sure to be major doubts about that trip going ahead.
Lorgat added: "It's very unfortunate for the people in Pakistan who love the game so much and have been very desperate to see international cricket but I'm afraid that situation is very desperate now.
"If this is the situation it's going to be very difficult to see them being part of hosting the World Cup."
The country is nominally one of the co-hosts of the 2011 event, along with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
But although Lorgat believes staging matches there is not viable in the near future, ICC chairman David Morgan says no decision has yet been taken regarding the World Cup.
"I believe that there is currently great reluctance - and rightly so - for players to return at this time," he said.
"But the future situation needs not be perpetuated as it is today.
"We must not believe that Pakistan is going to be unsafe forever and ever, and we must hope that it won't be unsafe for too long.
"Teams should not be expected to go there in the immediate future but things can change and change quickly.
"The World Cup is due to be shared between four countries.
"That is the current plan and the board will have to think carefully about the extent to which Pakistan will be used in that event.
"We need to be careful of a knee-jerk reaction. The World Cup is two years away."
In light of the attacks, questions have been raised regarding the security arrangements afforded to the Sri Lanka team, with former Pakistan captain Imran Khan particularly scathing.
He said: "I think this was one of the worst security failures in Pakistan.
"The Pakistani government guaranteed the Sri Lankan team that they would provide them with security.
"To see the type of security provided to the Sri Lankan team was completely shameful.
"Most ministers in Pakistan have better security than that provided to the Sri Lankan team."
Despite the criticism, Morgan said the ICC would not be intervening to oversee Test match security arrangements - the responsibility for which currently lies with the two nations involved.
He said: "The ICC only becomes directly involved in safety and security if there is a disagreement between the host and visitor.
"There was no disagreement and we werent involved in assessing security."
Story from BBC SPORT:
Terrible stuff!
The future of international cricket in Pakistan is in doubt following Tuesday's attack, the International Cricket Council has said.
Seven Sri Lanka players were injured in Lahore on their team bus, while six policemen escorting it were killed.
ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: "Perhaps for some time Pakistan should consider playing at neutral venues. Rather play some cricket than none.
"I'm not sure any team would be ready to play cricket in Pakistan."
The Test series with Sri Lanka, which is the first to be played in Pakistan since October 2007, was called off after the tragic incident in Lahore.
Australia withdrew from a scheduled tour to Pakistan in March last year after security concerns amid the unrest which followed the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The ICC also postponed the planned Champions Trophy as a result of problems and India's proposed tour was cancelled because of strained relations between the two nations.
But the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called for the country not be abandoned by the cricket community.
"I will only say what happened today is a great tragedy," said PCB spokesman and former Test skipper Wasim Bari.
"At a time when terrorist attacks are taking place all over the world, Pakistan cricket should not be abandoned or isolated.
"It is very easy now to just say 'lets stop going to Pakistan', but we need the support of the international cricket community. We can still hold international matches. Terrorists have tried to hit cricket targets in other countries as well." New Zealand were expected to tour in November but there are sure to be major doubts about that trip going ahead.
Lorgat added: "It's very unfortunate for the people in Pakistan who love the game so much and have been very desperate to see international cricket but I'm afraid that situation is very desperate now.
"If this is the situation it's going to be very difficult to see them being part of hosting the World Cup."
The country is nominally one of the co-hosts of the 2011 event, along with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
But although Lorgat believes staging matches there is not viable in the near future, ICC chairman David Morgan says no decision has yet been taken regarding the World Cup.
"I believe that there is currently great reluctance - and rightly so - for players to return at this time," he said.
"But the future situation needs not be perpetuated as it is today.
"We must not believe that Pakistan is going to be unsafe forever and ever, and we must hope that it won't be unsafe for too long.
"Teams should not be expected to go there in the immediate future but things can change and change quickly.
"The World Cup is due to be shared between four countries.
"That is the current plan and the board will have to think carefully about the extent to which Pakistan will be used in that event.
"We need to be careful of a knee-jerk reaction. The World Cup is two years away."
In light of the attacks, questions have been raised regarding the security arrangements afforded to the Sri Lanka team, with former Pakistan captain Imran Khan particularly scathing.
He said: "I think this was one of the worst security failures in Pakistan.
"The Pakistani government guaranteed the Sri Lankan team that they would provide them with security.
"To see the type of security provided to the Sri Lankan team was completely shameful.
"Most ministers in Pakistan have better security than that provided to the Sri Lankan team."
Despite the criticism, Morgan said the ICC would not be intervening to oversee Test match security arrangements - the responsibility for which currently lies with the two nations involved.
He said: "The ICC only becomes directly involved in safety and security if there is a disagreement between the host and visitor.
"There was no disagreement and we werent involved in assessing security."
Story from BBC SPORT:
Terrible stuff!
