Is it just cricket? Indian team should have come to Pakistan
“The tour’s cancellation means that terrorists have won; this is what they wanted to achieve.”
I was quoted in a piece published by Hindustan Times
Cricket is not just a game. It is also a standard to measure the tense relationship between India and Pakistan at any given moment. With India’s tour of Pakistan being called off, fans have been deprived of a rollicking good time. But not many players are complaining. The reason being the Mumbai terror attack. “If the government has decided, there’s no question of objecting,” says for- mer India captain Dilip Vengsarkar. “Pakistan doesn’t have any control over such incidents so who’ll take responsibility of the players’ security?” he questions. Agrees former wicket keeper Deep Dasgupta. “Cricket is insignificant in front of a national calamity,” he says. Sportspersons from other fields share the same view. “The situation is not conducive,” says chess sensation Tania Sachder Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, however; notes, “Be it any sport, a match between India and Pakistan always generates an interest” “We should have gone to Pakistan,” says RJ Rochie Rana. “It is cricket that connects us.” Many Pakistanis would agree. “If the extremist fringe here has allegedly caused mayhem in Mumbai, why should the country’s peace loving majority be punished for that,” asks Lahore-based author Raza Rumi. “The tour’s cancellation means that terrorists have won; this is what they wanted to achieve.” debjeet.kundu@hindustantimes.com
Unfortunately the cancellation of the cricket tour was not the aim of the terrorists. If that were the case, we should gladly give up playing cricket entirely. The aim was much more sinister and I agree with Deep Dasgupta here.
Although our love of the game is the same I think cancelling the tour was the only way to go.Imagine the state of mind of the players under such circumstances who have to travel to the other’s soil to play.Admittedly,it was the fringe element that most likely caused the mayhem in Mumbai,but in such tense circumstances patriotism and jingoism is always high and it would be entirely possible for the crowds of cricket watchers to use the occassion to hackle the players.We have to only think of Sharjah matches to remind ourselves of how out of hand things can sometimes get in case of Indo-Pak matches.
Cricket cancellation is last thing i would worry about. frankly I said war is stupid options but I am not sure how i feel about playing sport at this may be its just to show decent/angry. hopefully that will trigger pakistani people to put pressure on their government to act smart & strong.
I was looking forward to watching this series from Delhi this year