“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
