KARACHI: Cricket-starved Pakistan has suffered a huge blow with the cancellation of India's five-week tour in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, the third event called off here in a year amid security fears.
India's cricket board announced Thursday that it would not send the national team to Pakistan on the orders of the government in New Delhi, which has blamed Pakistan-based militants for the deadly siege in Mumbai.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it would lose at least 25 million dollars in television rights and sponsorships over the cancellation of the tour, which was to include three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international.
‘The series' cancellation is a big blow to Pakistan,’ former captain Wasim Akram said on Friday.
‘It will further lessen the charm of Test cricket, which has been under pressure from the rapid-fire brand of cricket — the Twenty20 version.’
In March, Australia postponed until further notice a tour of Pakistan and in August the International Cricket Council pushed back until 2009 the eight-nation Champions Trophy due to be staged here. Both decisions were made due to security concerns.
That meant Pakistan did not play any Test cricket this year for the first time since 1970.
Former captain Imran Khan while criticising India's decision to cancel next month's tour said ‘this will not help build up trust (between the two countries) and it is a wrong decision by the Indians.’
He said India should have applied the same criteria as they did when they asked England to return to their country after last month's militant attacks in Mumbai.
‘When some English cricketers had security concerns going back to India they were told if they didn't return it would be a victory for the terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks,’ he said.
Another former captain turn commentator Ramiz raja said ‘Pakistan will suffer both financially and cricket-wise.’
‘But India in a way is also dependent on Pakistan, and when the two countries play each other, they improve and the following of the game increases,’ he said.
‘Deep inside we feel for the victims of Mumbai and hope such incidents do not take place again,’ Wasim said.
‘We toured India in 1999 despite tensions and death threats. Now I hope the temperature will go down and cricket will resume because it is very important that India and Pakistan play each other.’ Raja said cricket would be a good way for the two countries to mend fences.
‘In a strange way, cricket would have helped in this volatile situation and now I think that both countries need time and space. Once the dust settles, cricket will resume, for the betterment of world cricket,’ he said.