India cancels cricket team’s tour of Pakistan
Updated at: 1520 PST, Sunday, November 30, 2008
NEW DELHI: India’s government has refused permission to send a cricket team for a full tour of Pakistan early next year following the deadly Mumbai attacks, Indian television reported on Sunday.
The tour was cancelled amid a government probe into Pakistani links to the assaults on the country’s financial capital by heavily-armed militants that left nearly 200 people dead.
Two Indian news channels, quoting unnamed government sources, said the matches were also unlikely to be played at neutral venues.
India cancels cricket team’s tour of Pakistan
Updated at: 1518 PST, Sunday, November 30, 2008
NEW DELHI: India’s government has refused permission to send a cricket team for a full tour of Pakistan early next year following the deadly Mumbai attacks, Indian television reported on Sunday.
The tour was cancelled amid a government probe into Pakistani links to the assaults on the country’s financial capital by heavily-armed militants that left nearly 200 people dead.
Two Indian news channels, quoting unnamed government sources, said the matches were also unlikely to be played at neutral venues.
Extremely pathetic behavior by the indian government. I have always been a strong supporter of Pak-India friendship and all that…but this move clearly shows the Indian government cancelled the tour not for security reasons but for political reasons. Plus, with the strong influence the BCCI has on the ICC, there’s more tough times ahead for Pakistan.
This is the time when the two countries should have shown unity against terrorism promoting peace and friendship by AT LEAST playing at a neutral venue…but such a move by the Indian goverenment will only add more fuel to the already raging fire.
I’m sorry but without concrete proof of direct Pakistani government, military or ISI involvement in this horrific incident of Mumbai…its completely childish and asking for trouble kind of stance which the Indian government has taken against Pakistan. Unfortunetly, Cricket has to suffer in the middle.
That is an indication that Pakistan cricket team is getting better. India always avoids tours when they fear losing. They hardly visited during the W's era.
Thanks to Indian investigation agencies for doing nothing thus far.
That is an indication that Pakistan cricket team is getting better. India always avoids tours when they fear losing. They hardly visited during the W's era.
Thanks to Indian investigation agencies for doing nothing thus far.
Parents have lost their children, children have lost their parents, brothers have lost their sisters and sisters have lost their brothers.
And we are supposed to worry about whether India is playing KIRKET with Pakistan.
Calling off the tour to a nation that has undeniable links to these attacks is the least the Indian Govt can do to respect the families who have lost their loved ones.....
Ask the dad of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan of NSG about whether India should play Cricket with a country which is directly/indirectly responsible for his son's demise at such a young age.
May God provide solace and strength to the ones the departed left behind.
Calling off the tour to a nation that has undeniable links to these attacks is the least the Indian Govt can do to respect the families who have lost their loved ones.....
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Who said that Pakistan has got undeniable links to these attacks? Give a proof. And please don't post the crappy video where a terrorist was talking a Tv channel and saying words like Zulm, Ziyadeti, Sarkar, Shanti etc.
Who said that Pakistan has got undeniable links to these attacks? Give a proof. And please don't post the crappy video where a terrorist was talking a Tv channel and saying words like Zulm, Ziyadeti, Sarkar, Shanti etc.
With all due respect newly-crowned Moderator Saab, you were the one who posted that "crappy" video.
And do you want me to prove it here - just so that you can lecture me for talking politics on Cricketnama.
The terrorist don't give you a "receipt" or "proof of purchase"......from what is known so far all trails lead to Pakistan.
Calling off the tour to a nation that has undeniable links to these attacks is the least the Indian Govt can do to respect the families who have lost their loved ones.....
The only thing undeniable at this point is your blind acceptance of barefaced liars and political propaganda. To see an educated person lose his rational faculties in times like these, I can’t help but think that the terrorists have succeeded in their attempts to marginalize communities internally, and relegate cross border collaboration initiatives.
I really haven’t seen any compelling evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in these atrocities. Even political analysts around the globe have called for caution in pointing fingers just yet. There are still too many unanswered questions.
In the grand scheme of things, Cricket isn’t even important… I wish the actual perpetrators of this carnage get caught, punished and made example out of.
*coming back to the topic, I don’t think the tour has been cancelled as it is just speculation right now. I haven’t seen anything credible or official about this news. *
As I have said earlier that in my personal opinion BCCI will never cancel the tour unless something terrible happens on governemt levels which I highly doubt since sanity will hopefully prevail in the next few days.
MUMBAI: Vice president of Indian cricket board Rajiv Shukla said that the Indian government did not refuse to permit the Indian team for touring Pakistan and the news of the tour cancellation is a mere media speculation.
He said that the tour at the moment has not been cancelled.
This is the time when the two countries should have shown unity against terrorism promoting peace and friendship by AT LEAST playing at a neutral venue....but such a move by the Indian goverenment will only add more fuel to the already raging fire.
I am all in favor of tour taking place. But you mentioned the strong hold of BCCI on other cricket boards. If BCCI decides to play with Pakistan on a neutral venue, what message is being sent to other cricket boards? That they can't come to India just like Pakistan because of terrorism-related security concerns? BCCI is pushing hard for England to continue the tour on their turf and to think that somehow they are going to play Pakistan at a neutral venue does not even come into the picture. Speaking from cricketing perspective, BCCI is already losing millions by postponing Champions League, so they have another reason to postpone the Pakistan tour and instead hold the multi-million dollar extravaganza in it's place.
Ejaz Butt issued a direct statement to BCCI and PCB should push for the tour to take place or else the internal fear of losing the CT spot for next year as well as losing the hold on World Cup matches will further increase.
You are right, this move is more political than anything else.
I am all in favor of tour taking place. But you mentioned the strong hold of BCCI on other cricket boards. If BCCI decides to play with Pakistan on a neutral venue, what message is being sent to other cricket boards? That they can't come to India just like Pakistan because of terrorism-related security concerns? BCCI is pushing hard for England to continue the tour on their turf and to think that somehow they are going to play Pakistan at a neutral venue does not even come into the picture. Speaking from cricketing perspective, BCCI is already losing millions by postponing Champions League, so they have another reason to postpone the Pakistan tour and instead hold the multi-million dollar extravaganza in it's place.
Ejaz Butt issued a direct statement to BCCI and PCB should push for the tour to take place or else the internal fear of losing the CT spot for next year as well as losing the hold on World Cup matches will further increase.
You are right, this move is more political than anything else.
I totally agree with you Dhobi Bhai that India should come to Pakistan and play and so should other teams. But unfortunate truth is far from that. Look at the English team..such a big incident happened in Mumbai and they have agreed to go ahead with the test matches...had an incident half the magnitude of what happened in Mumbai happened in Lahore/Karachi if England was visiting Pakistan...that would have been good enough for the English team to not visit Pakistan for the next 10 years at least.
Its all about money and entertainment these days...and thats why every team has a soft spot for India. I was reading another article by a British writer and he said cricket should go on to take the people of Mumbai away from the terror and give them something to cheer about. Why is this not the stance of these same writers when it comes to Pakistan?
After the refusal of almost every team to come to Pakistan...I say we should at least play cricket on a neutral venue. The team and fans need some cricket at least. Pakistan hasnt played a test match in over a year...and its a pity that Lawson got fired without even coaching Pakistan in a single test match...which was pathetic.
The Asia cup was held right before the Champions trophy and it went on without any incident at all...yet teams still pulled out due to 'security' fears. Sadly, untill the situation vastly improves in Pakistan...I don't see any team coming to Pakistan except for Zimbabve/Bangladesh...with all due respect to those 2 teams.
And we are supposed to worry about whether India is playing KIRKET with Pakistan.
BCCI is facilitating the current series with England by moving the venue for the second test, to a city which was not even in the picture a week ago because the renovations were incomplete and it is not in the shape of staging an International match. Is this the right time for India to be playing any kind of cricket, period? Why are the officials adamant for the tour to continue 'for the goodwill of cricket and people'? BCCI can change venues around to accommodate England cricket team but cannot come to Pakistan in times when really the question should be whether it is right to be playing cricket in this situation. BCCI fulfilling all obligations with England and then worrying about switching the FTP dates around for Champions League but refusing to give Pakistan a second look is a move in hypocrisy.
I am glad we don’t have to lay red-carpet for the Indian team, provide 100/1000 policemen to their security, I am glad our rickshaw/taxi driver will not be driving “Indians” around for free. I think PCB should’ve cancelled it first
The same nation who kept not only Indian cricketers but also the Indian “visitors” on their eye-lashes? I thank Indian cricket/govt for cancelling this tour, I don’t want to see that crap happening again. We saw how Pakistani visitors were treated by “loving, caring, peaceful” Indians in return. Some “jeet lo” crappy series, I should’ve listened to ravage back then.
If the tour gets cancelled, one thing is likely to happen. Pakistan will remove the ban on all the ICL players. Not that BCCI will care too much but I think it is something which PCB might use as a tool to convince BCCI.
Ask the dad of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan of NSG about whether India should play Cricket with a country which is directly/indirectly responsible for his son's demise at such a young age.
Before making all die-hard efforts to host England again, I assume that India has already got the permission of parents, children, wives and husband of 1000s of people killed by Britishers during their rule. Please correct if I am wrong.
I am glad we don’t have to lay red-carpet for the Indian team, provide 100/1000 policemen to their security, I am glad our rickshaw/taxi driver will not be driving “Indians” around for free. I think PCB should’ve cancelled it first 