Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

Entertainment Cricket and Other Sports
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Pakistan bowling legend Wasim Akram accused Australia Wednesday of having “double standards” on security and said they must tour Pakistan to play September’s Champions Trophy.

Players from Australia, New Zealand and England have raised concerns over security in the troubled Islamic republic despite an all-clear from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

**“I think the Australians have double standards,” Wasim told AFP. “They played in England despite blasts in London in 2005 and four Australians were willing to play in India despite blasts in Jaipur last month.” **

The ICC board in a meeting starting on June 29 in Dubai will discuss an independent security assessment on the situation in Pakistan before taking a final decision on the Champions Trophy.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting last week said his side and others still had security concerns about Pakistan, and Australia were undecided about competing in the Champions Trophy.

Australia earlier this year postponed a Test and one-day tour of Pakistan over security fears sparked in the wake of a series of blasts – a decision Wasim believed was justified.

“I was in Australia at that time and backed their decision because the news we were getting at that time was not conducive for cricket, but nothing is happening now and they themselves rescheduled the tour after getting assurances,” said Wasim, who played 104 Tests for Pakistan.
Australia set new dates for a one-day tour in 2009 and a Test tour in 2010 following an improvement in security after February’s general elections in Pakistan.

Wasim accused the Australians of influencing other nations to boycott September’s Champions Trophy.

**“How can they create an opinion by sitting there in Australia? They said they don’t want to come and (are) also trying to influence other teams. I am sorry, they are willing to play anywhere if they get money,” he said. **
Wasim said if Australia do not turn up, they should be fined by the ICC and action should be taken against them.

The Pakistan Cricket Board last week said it had made arrangements normally reserved for heads of state for the Trophy.

Wasim also lashed out at Tim May, the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations, for generating doubts over security in Pakistan.

**Wasim said the Asian bloc, especially India, must support Pakistan. **
**“India have been supportive to Pakistan’s cause, they have sent a team for the (ongoing) Asia Cup, so Asia must devise a system to help Pakistan and ensure that the Trophy is held here,” he said. **
“Pakistan cannot afford teams pulling out at the last minute, it will destroy Pakistan cricket.”

Src: http://www.cricbuzz.com/component/latest_cricket_news/Story/4139/wasim-blasts-australia-for-double-standards/

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Good strongly worded message from Wasim Akram but it is likely to fall on deaf ears (of English, Australian and NZ players who won't budge) I am afraid. nevertheless appreciate his support for Pak cricket

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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

Right on the money. Just like Wasim said, show 'em the money and they will go to Afghanistan.
If Asia Cup goes without an incident, then hopefully they won't have a reason.

► Funny / Mazakhia / Truck Poetry ◄
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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

i guess they'll still make some pathetic excuse

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they can play at crime capital of the world Johannesburg

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How can a right-thinking person compare the situation in Pakistan (in a political context) with that in England.

I mean....are "foreigners" targetted in England....is England located next-door to Afghanistan and Taliban etc. How many suicide-bombings have occured in England as compared to Pakistan.

Everytime this logic is given, it boggles my mind.

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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

How many times a cricketer has been targeted in Pakistan ?

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:hmmm:
so Pakistan shud not play in india cuz some crazy baal thakrey threaten tht he’ll Kill every Pakistani ??

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Plz delete.

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Now…don’t twist the topic to make it an India-Pakistan issue.

I was responding to one specific “faulty” line of reasoning of Wasim…and you know it.

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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

i m not twisting any thing ..
i m just saying ..... tht political situation shudnt be an issue .....
in this era ..... not a single country is safe .......

i mean jeff lawson is in pakistan .... i dont think so any 1 gave him life threat (other then naseem ashraf)

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"Political situation" has to be an issue since it is often directly linked to a country's security situation - whether you like it or not. Countries often issue travel advisories based on it.

Sure...but some countries are much more dangerous than others....and Pakistan has been called the "Most dangerous country in the World" - not by the Australian Cricket Team ---- but by NEWSWEEK.

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Some1 I know where you are coming from but let me just say this, " Contrary to popular perception (yeh 'perception' ne phir se sab kee vaat laga dee!) no sportsman or cricketer has ever been targetted/hurt/injured/killed in Pakistan." Yes some tourists and journalists (notably Daniel Pearl) have been abducted in the past. And yes there was a bomb explosion near NZ team hotel in 2002 but those who died/were injured in that incident were all Pakistanis.

Aakhir India and SLA are playing in Pakistan at the moment. Both teams have visited Pakistan no less than three or four times since 2002 and there has been "touchwood" not a single incident so far which is ample proof that when Pakistani authorities give you assurances about fool-proof security and safety they really mean it i.e. they can walk the talk. Every visiting team since 2002 (incl. South Africa and England) has been given security by the government that is normally reserved for visiting Heads of States.

If by "foreigners" you mean "westerners" then you have a slight point but then again England did complete a tour of Pakistan in 2005 without any incidents. And being the sore losers that they are they then drummed up excuses of 'boredom' and 'lack of motivation' and the fact that their players were a bit "under-cooked" for the tour after the Ashes series. That they could not really motivate themselves as for them the significance of Pak series paled in comparison to that of the earlier hard-fought battle against Australia.

Timepass
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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

^^infact .. newzealand and south africa have also toured Pakistan during this period .....
Moreover .... there are foreign umpires, match officials, coaches etc. who are in Pakistan ... n i dont think any 1 has security issues .....

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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

its kinda ironic that India is supposed to be Enemy no 1 of Pakistan and vice versa but still Indian team plays in Pakistan without any problems and Pakistani team plays in India with out any second thoughts.
weird enemies we are.

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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

australians are all british convicts .

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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

The logic that most of the posters here is that no sportsmen have ever been targetted by the terrorists. I think that it is a twisted logic. I dont think anybody would want to be the first. With the kind of suicide bombings that are happening, I dont think anybody wants to take a risk.

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Re: Wasim blasts Australia for double standards

As much as I hate sympathizing with bigits such as Ponting and co. they have a point. You've got the taleban running amuck within Pakistan, the govt has given up trying to control militants and is making deals with them, the political scene is rife with daily rumors about the CJ and Musharaf, and people are slitting others throats on suspicion of being American spies. It has become clear beyond doubt that ISI as well as military are playing both sides and not completely under control

What is to prevent the fanatic crowd from lobbing something into the stadium or hotel?