ISLAMABAD — Pakistan
cricket began confronting its worst fear Saturday, with the national side
staring at another era of isolation from hosting international matches after
New Zealand abandoned its tour, citing a security threat.
اضافة اعلان
The Black Caps called
off their first Pakistan series in 18 years with the New Zealand government's
backing on Friday just before the first one-day international was due to start
in Rawalpindi.
The decision has left
cricket-crazy Pakistan reeling, with the nation still recovering from the 2009
militant attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore that wounded six players.
Already struggling to
convince foreign teams to tour, Pakistan was forced to play home matches at
neutral venues — primarily in the UAE — following the assault.
The decision left a
generation of cricket fans growing up having never attended a live game.
Prime Minister Imran
Khan, a former international cricketing hero, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
will now have to work overtime to avoid another period of exile.
"With the
administration they now have in place at the PCB and how closely linked to the
PM it is, there'll be a real push to ensure they have to play as little as
possible in a neutral venue," cricket writer Osman Samiuddin told AFP.
Pakistan’s first task
will be to convince England, who decide Sunday whether to send their men's and
women's teams for a scheduled tour to Pakistan next month.
Those tours are to be
followed by a series against the West Indies in December and Australia's first
visit since 1998 in February next year.
"England is now
likely not to tour. Australia... will also probably not come. So that will be a
hit," Samiuddin said.
"And for fans
too, they've only just started getting used to going to big games again so for
the prospect of that being taken away, it's going to hurt."
The newly elected
chairman of the PCB Ramiz Raja admitted Saturday that Pakistani cricket was
facing "a lot of pressure", though not for the first time — and that
the nation was resilient.
"Your pain and
my pain is the same, it's a shared pain. Whatever happened was not good for
Pakistan cricket," he said.
The PCB bled $200
million in losses during the country's cricket exile.
Now, alongside the upcoming
tours, its bids to host six international events — including the World Cup and
Champions Trophy between 2024 and 2031 — could also be in jeopardy.
Former players say
keeping international cricket in Pakistan is the key priority.
"All cricketers
are with the PCB and we have to find ways to avoid further isolation, for the
sake of our next generations," former captain Rashid Latif told AFP.
Pakistan has only
hosted South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe since the 2009 attacks.
Ex-player Naushad Ali
said his country needs to restore the confidence of the cricketing world.
"Pakistan will
have to prove that New Zealand's decision was wrong and I think only that will
earn them sympathy," said Ali.
"We should not
give up our hosting rights and should lobby with other countries."
But former captain
Shahid Afridi believes they have sacrificed a lot over the years and deserve
"a better deal".
"We have done
more than enough for them," he said.
"We toured
England and New Zealand (last year) despite fears of pandemic and we want them
to reciprocate."
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