This sucks! These god damn terrorists...
this is a shocking and sad development, pakistan has become a pariah.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
Some1 I hope you will understand if foreign teams do not wish to visit India after the recent bombings in Bombay.
[/QUOTE]
Ehsan, one thing is for sure.. I will not call the foreign teams cowards if they decide not to tour India... no matter how flimsy the reasons may seem to me as an Indian. My point is that players should not be made scapegoats just for the sake of good bilateral relations or because a cricket board may lose so much money.
Having said that there is a vast difference between the internal security situation in India and Pak. The bomb blasts etc. in India mostly have communal or kashmir origins. They do not have anything to do with the West or the Whites, plus they do not occur as frequently as in Pakistan. In only very rare occasions, christian missionaries in rural areas have faced the wrath of Hindu fundos....(which ofcourse have been blown out of proportion by the Pak Media) . And I have not seen one situation yet when a Hindu/Muslim fundo has blown himself up to kill christians/whites in India.
I can however understand the resentment of my Pakistani friends here. But they need to understand there is a big difference between their view of Pakistan and that of the rest of the world. The same goes for Indians too...because the outside world bases their opinion of countries on news stories and television footage(so I did understand when the West Indians cancelled the tour of India when plague hit a small region in the state of Gujarat even though a lot of people were amused)....
Its just like in the business world , a country should first improve its law and order situation and then go out asking foreign businesses to invest...not the other way round...
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *
Ehsan, one thing is for sure.. I will not call the foreign teams cowards if they decide not to tour India...
[/QUOTE]
Yeah right! I have seen your complaints here on this forum. I think u will be the first person to jump and down. Don't try to be innocent cuz u ain't ;)
what a bunch of fuk!ing pussies
They don’t want to play in Pakistan ? 
I say screw them,
And some1 before you start ranting and raving about the serene law and order in India, I don’t think in Pakistani history there has ever once been a coordinated government effort to create riots with the sole purpose of extermination of minorities.
People in glass houses should’nt throw stones,
Pakistan hopes tour can still be salvaged
Wisden Cricinfo staff - September 20, 2003
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has accepted the United Cricket Board of South Africa’s offer to postpone the series for a week, but have categorically rejected the option of playing the series at an off-shore venue or in South Africa. In a development on Saturday night, the PCB said that they had sent a revised itinerary to the UCB, suggesting that all the matches be played in Punjab. That would see the match scheduled for Karachi being cancelled, and the possibility of the Peshawar game being shifted to Rawalpindi.
The PCB, in a statement, said: "We have written to UCBSA in which we have requested them to postpone the series for a week, review the security situation and reverse the decision. We are also flexible to reschedule the matches. We are doing all this to make South African cricketers realise how important this series is for cricket and people of Pakistan. The PCB is confident that wisdom would prevail in the end and South African cricket team will visit Pakistan.
"The PCB is making desperate efforts and utilising all its contacts to try to make UCBSA change its stand. But as the situation stands at present, we are deeply and utterly disappointed. It (the bomb blast) was an isolated incident and not targeted at anyone, evident from the fact that there were no casualties.
“We have contacted the International Cricket Council (ICC) which is right behind us. We have also contacted the South African High Commissioner in Islamabad who believes that the UCBSA decision is a ‘hasty one’. We will also try to contact South African Sports Minister and will urge him to use his good offices and convince UCBSA to send its team.”
While the PCB formal statement looks polite and convincing, there is growing resentment behind the scenes, with the chairman being pressed to review its relations with the ICC and UCBSA. “So far, the PCB chairman has sustained all pressure in the hope that UCBSA will reverse its decision. But he might have to change his stance if UCBSA stays stubborn,” said a source.
The PCB officials are also annoyed because of what happened in 1998, when the Pakistan team was touring South Africa under Rashid Latif’s captaincy. Back then, the PCB had supported the UCBSA, and not its players, when the cricketers had threatened to call off the tour after Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Akram were mugged in Johannesburg. The Pakistan cricketers were ordered to stay and complete the tour, resulting in the first Test being delayed for a day.
“The PCB then supported UCBSA and annoyed its players chiefly because it enjoys excellent relations with them. The PCB now believes it is time for the UCBSA to re-pay as they owe something to Pakistan and the PCB. The PCB chairman is being pressurised by his think-tank to severe ties with UCBSA and ICC if the tour doesn’t take place,” said a PCB official, requesting anonymity.
The PCB chairman held an emergency meeting at the Gaddafi Stadium where he assessed the situation. "The chairman has been told by his men that South African cricketers were waiting for an opportunity to cancel the tour as the reports emerging during their tour to England suggested that the South African cricketers were not interested in touring Pakistan.
“The PCB chief has also been told that the UCBSA had initially requested for the change of Karachi and Peshawar as venues without saying the tour was in jeopardy. But when the UCBSA took the extreme decision [on Saturday morning], it never consulted the PCB. So much so, the UCBSA didn’t request the PCB to reschedule the matches from Karachi and Peshawar. The sequence of events leads us to believe that the South African cricketers were never interested in touring Pakistan.”
A PCB official said that the security in South Africa was no better than Pakistan. "When our team went there to play the World Cup, the squad was told not to leave their hotels in the evening because of security. The participating teams obeyed their orders and the tournaments went smoothly without any incident.
“The UCBSA chief executive can travel to Mumbai, where there were plenty of casualties in a bomb blast a fortnight ago, to attend the ICC conference. But he is backing the decision of its players. It’s an excellent case of double standards and different rules for different set of players.”
Tension and anger is mounting, not only within the PCB but also amongst the public who had planned to follow the Pakistan team wherever it was due to play South Africa. The UCBSA’s decision has suddenly changed the mindset of the followers in this cricket-mad country, with Graeme Smith’s men now being considered cowardly and unsporting.
As the match organisers prepared for the fifth and last one-day international against Bangladesh on Sunday, they feared that there would be protests against UCBSA and its players. “The simple fact is that if the situation was life-threatening, how come the Bangladesh cricketers are playing the last match on Sunday? And how come Mike Procter [from South Africa] is performing his duties? Their lives are as dear as those of the South African cricketers,” said an angry cricket fan.
© Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
http://www-usa.cricket.org/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/SEP/260951_PAK_20SEP2003.html
Bitter Pakistan seeks to revive South Africa tour](http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030921/323/e90ct.html)
KARACHI (AFP) - Pakistan is desperately attempting to revive an eagerly-awaited South African cricket tour, which was cancelled at the last minute due to security fears following a bomb blast.
The South Africans had been due to arrive for a month-long tour Monday, but cancelled just 24 hours before they were due to depart because of the explosion in a Karachi office block late Friday.
It had been hoped the South Africans’ test and one-day tour would mark the return of top-level international cricket to the terror-hit Islamic republic, where a wave of deadly violence last year against Westerners and Christians drove foreign teams away.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which Sunday wrapped up a trouble-free series with Bangladesh, has now offered to alter schedules and venues in a last ditch bid to persuade the South Africans to change their minds.
“We … have offered them to change fixtures in Karachi and Peshawar and delay the start to tour by a week. We hope something positive will come out,” PCB spokesman Samiul Hasan told reporters late Saturday.
Fuming PCB leaders said they were shocked and disappointed by the cancellation, and warned that cricket in both countries would suffer.
Pakistan is seeking a review of the decision through the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The council has promised to explore ways of reviving the tour.
“Over the coming days the ICC will be working with both the UCB and the PCB to explore all available alternatives to see if it is possible to reschedule the tour and the programme of matches in Pakistan in the near future,” it said in a statement Saturday.
Former South African Test all rounder Mike Procter, in Pakistan for the last five weeks to referee the Pakistan-Bangladesh series, said the coming two days were crucial for negotiations.
“The next 48 to 96 hours are very important,” Procter told AFP.
“It is very, very disappointing… but I will go back to South Africa on Monday and let’s hope it’s not the end.”
Procter, who played seven Tests for South Africa in late 1960s, praised security arrangements in Pakistan.
“The security during Bangladesh’s tour has been excellent,” he said.
“I had no security problems in Pakistan, from security to the organisation everything was excellent.”
Procter was acting as match referee when New Zealand had to cut short their Pakistani tour in May 2002 after a suicide car bomb attack outside their hotel killed 11 French nationals and three Pakistanis.
The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) has offered to host the series in South Africa or play at a third country “neutral” venue, or to postpone the visit to Pakistan at an unspecified later date when risk is lower.
UCBSA president Ray Mali said security in Pakistan had deteriorated to an unacceptable level.
The tour would have went ahead if the South Africans hadn't just slogged their way through a marathon, ultra-long tour of England. The players just don't want to follow that up with a tour to Pakistan. I'm sure if they had been sheduled to play us first there would have been no problem. Even before the insignificant pop gun pattaka there was rumopurs circulating that the players didn't want to come and it was nothing to do with security, they had just played enough cricket in England.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *
Everytime a foreign team cancels a tour to Pakistan, the Pakistani cricket fans jump up and down in anger..... I feel most of it is misdirected... it is a fact that westerners and white-looking people in Pakistan (even those who have no real stake in any Anti-Pak or Anti-Islam activities) have been harmed or killed for no reason ...like Daniel Pearl and those French Naval Engineers for example.... and suicide bombings cannot be stopped by the best of security measures (like the Pak Govt promised to SA). There was one in front of the hotel where the NZ team were scheduled to take the bus last year.
Just for the record..in 1990, .the then Indian captain Srikanth was accosted by a person carrying a knife during a test match in Pakistan.... fortunately he was immobilized before he could do any harm...
I know people will say that didn't Pak tour India when the Shiv Sena activists dug the Kotla pitch and threatened to sabotage the tour. Let me just say that Hindu extremists do not hold a candle to their Muslim counterparts... they might make loud noises but have never really gone beyond damaging pitches and most importantly are not known for suicide bombings which is important from a security stand-point.
My only fear is the Indian Govt. allowing the Indian cricket team to tour Pakistan in the momentum of the ongoing thaw in India-Pak relationship..... till date the Indian govt has refused cricket with Pakistan on political grounds but not on security grounds which is very surprising to me because if there is any country which should be concerned about the safety of its citizens/players in Pakistan it should be India. What is the guarantee that a Harkat-ul-Ansar dude will not lunge from the crowd and blow himself up when the Indian cricket team walks out of the pavillion to take the field. I hope the concern for the safety of the Indian cricket team will not fade in the current India-Pak bhai-bhai maahol
[/QUOTE]
With the likes of u writing this bullsh** i really hope and wish that very soon some bombs go off in Kanpur and elsewhere the NZ Team is scheduled to play ..... and they decide to call off the tour ......
Akram to come out of retirement for benefit tie
KARACHI, Pakistan, Sept 20 , 2003 (Reuters)
Pakistan all rounder Wasim Akram will come out of retirement to play in a benefit match for former team mate Shoaib Mohammad against South Africa in Karachi next Wednesday.
“Yes, I am going to play in the benefit tie. Shoaib is a very old and close friend and I would like to make his match a big success,” Akram told Reuters on Saturday.
The 37-year-old left arm fast bowler and former Pakistan captain retired from international cricket earlier this year after being dropped from the national team following the World Cup in South Africa.
Akram also ended a contract with English county Hampshire midway through the season complaining of fatigue and a sore throat.
“I am fine now and I am carrying out my training regularly. I will enjoy playing in Shoaib’s match although I have not touched a bat or ball for some months now,” he said.
Akram who finished with 414 test and a world record 502 one-day international wickets played for Pakistan between 1984 and 2003.
© Reuters Limited.
i think this benefit match was vs south africa. so that means there wont be any benefit match:teary1: 
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Zero_one: *
With the likes of u writing this bullsh** i really hope and wish that very soon some bombs go off in Kanpur and elsewhere the NZ Team is scheduled to play ..... and they decide to call off the tour ......
[/QUOTE]
kindly add the hope for a zero casualty :)
No Zero_one bhai that is not right. You didn’t really mean that. :nono:
Not really Ehsan Bhai … but when in a situation like this a chap namely SOME1 comes up with pointing at security in PAK and other BLAH BLAH then it’s quite hard to controle the emotions and thusfar expressing them in such a way …
Looks Like no one in Pakistan is swallowing the lame excuse of security fears in Pakistan.
The Pakistan team made their feelings clear over South Africa’s last-minute tour cancellation by wearing black armbands in their fifth and final one-day international against Bangladesh at Karachi.
Javed Miandad, Pakistan’s coach, said: “Today’s match is our answer to South Africa … that by pulling out of the Pakistan tour they have promoted terrorism.” Miandad added that the players were disgusted, echoing the wave of bitter disappointment across the country. “If they did not want to come they should have said so straight away. Why make lame excuses?” said Miandad, who has insisted that the security fears are unfounded and that Pakistan have been wrongly targeted as a no-go zone.
The South African board offered to play the series in a neutral venue or in South Africa, but the PCB declined and is desperately trying to reschedule the tour and change venues. Intikhab Alam, a former captain, also had his say: “It’s a very unfortunate decision because the law-and-order situation even in South Africa is not good.”
South Africa called off their tour only 24 hours before they were due to depart, saying that the security in Pakistan had descended to an unacceptable level. The decision was triggered by a bomb blast in an empty Karachi office block on Friday night in which no one was injured.
^^way to go Miandad!:k:
[QUOTE]
Miandad leads the protests
The Pakistan team made their feelings clear over South Africa's last-minute tour cancellation by wearing black armbands in their fifth and final one-day international against Bangladesh at Karachi.
Javed Miandad, Pakistan's coach, said: "Today's match is our answer to South Africa ... that by pulling out of the Pakistan tour they have promoted terrorism." Miandad added that the players were disgusted, echoing the wave of bitter disappointment across the country. "If they did not want to come they should have said so straight away. Why make lame excuses?" said Miandad, who has insisted that the security fears are unfounded and that Pakistan have been wrongly targeted as a no-go zone. ...
[/QUOTE]
Bingo! Something that should have come up from Pak management but all thumbs up for Miandad!
I’ve been doing some research on security in south Africa and came up with some interesting stuff and seems to me a case of rank hypocrisy.
Read this account of how Saqlain and Mohammed Akram were mugged 20 yards from their hotel, and how our brave lads despite wanting to come home agreed to soldier on to save the South African’s shame after th SA authorities pleaed for them to stay on. Can you imagine the South Afdricans staying in Pakistan if 2 of their players got mugged?
**Mugging delays first cricket Test**
JOHANNESBURG – Today’s scheduled start of the first cricket Test between South Africa and Pakistan at the Wanderers has been delayed by at least a day after a request by the visitors for a postponement.
In an unprecedented move yesterday evening, Pakistan asked that the match be moved because of injuries to five of their 15-man squad. Two of the players – Muhammad Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq – were hurt during a mugging outside their Sandton hotel on Wednesday evening.
United Cricket Board of SA managing director Ali Bacher said it had been agreed, after consultation with his board members, the Pakistan Cricket Board and M-Net and SABC TV, that the match would be postponed to give the injured players an opportunity to recover.
**“The Pakistan physiotherapist, Dr Dan Kiesel, will examine Muhammad Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq in the morning and, provided he feels they will be ready to play, the match will start on Saturday morning and finish on Wednesday,” Dr Bacher said.
"If the prognosis is not good and they aren’t ready to play, we will have to take another look at things.
"It has to be understood that there are a lot of ramifications from the postponement of the match. We have to think of catering at the Wanderers, television coverage and the fact that thousands of tickets have already been sold.
“There is a good atmosphere between the Pakistan and South African camps and I sensed a willingness on their part to co-operate, but we will have to wait for tomorrow until a decision is taken about a Saturday start.” **
Earlier,at a press conference Dr Bacher said: “They have asked us to try to accommodate them to enable them to go into the match will 11 fully fit players. This is obviously not a decision that I can make, but I will be talking to Majit Khan (Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive officer) and members of my board during the course of the evening.”
Apart from the mugging victims, Rashid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar and ace strike bowler Waqar Younis, who is suffering with a back strain, are also on Pakistan’s injury list.
Anwar Sohail, captain of Pakistan for the first Test in the absence of Latif, said the morale in the visitors’ camp was very low.
“Before last night we were so positive, but the mugging has affected us and the guys found it hard to concentrate at today’s net practice,” he said.
Dr Bacher said Akram’s chest was bruised and his right hand cut when he went to Mushtaq’s assistance. Mushtaq’s injuries were apparently not serious.
**Latif said the security of his team was his responsibility and their safety had to be guaranteed. **
"The incident happened just 20 yards from our hotel at 8.45 pm. A car pulled up when the two players were crossing at a traffic light and two black men jumped out of a car while the third, the driver, remained in the vehicle.
“They demanded that Saqlain hand over his money. That’s when Akram went to his aid, only to suffer a nasty cut on his right hand. They tore off Saqlain’s shirt. Akram was punched to the ground and the assailants fled when two other vehicles pulled up to come to the players’ assistance.”
RESTING: Pakistani cricketers Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Akram recover at their hotel yesterday after being mugged in Sandton.
[thumb=D]PAKICRIC.JPG[/thumb]
[thumb=D]Pakpeopleprotest.JPG[/thumb]
*Pakistani cricket fans hold placards during a demonstration outside National Stadium Karachi. *
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
Javed Miandad, Pakistan's coach, said: "Today's match is our answer to South Africa ... that by pulling out of the Pakistan tour they have promoted terrorism."
[/QUOTE]
What bull.... the SA players are only cricket players... why should they risk their lives for something which is not of their making....its not for SA to promote or discourage terrorism in Pakistan... As outsiders they are correct in doing what they think is best for them....
The onus is on Pakistan is to improve its image to the external world about its law and order situation....
(BTW, having heard Miandad speak before, he is not half as articulate as he is made out to be in this piece...)
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Zero_one: *
With the likes of u writing this bullsh** i really hope and wish that very soon some bombs go off in Kanpur and elsewhere the NZ Team is scheduled to play ..... and they decide to call off the tour ......
[/QUOTE]
And if the bomb did go off.... it will be a no-brainer to find out which country would be behind it...