For MCC, Afghanistan is safer than Pakistan

[foxbat]

For MCC, Afghanistan is safer than Pakistan | Sport | DAWN.COM

LONDON: Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) are contemplating a tour of Afghanistan, the club’s president said on Wednesday, indicating that a visit to the war-torn nation was more likely than a trip to neighbouring Pakistan.

MCC, which owns Lord’s Cricket Ground, known globally as the “home of cricket”, has played its part in supporting Afghan cricket by helping provide pitches in the capital Kabul, organising fixtures against the national side and coaching players.

Touring teams from the club, which used to run English cricket but still retains worldwide responsibility for the sport’s Laws or rules, usually comprise former professional cricketers alongside promising club players.

“I am going to Afghanistan to look at Kabul and the cricket pitches we have put in,” MCC president Phillip Hodson told BBC radio’s Test Match Special programme on Wednesday. “Then I will go to Lahore as a private citizen.

“I think there is much more chance of taking a team to Afghanistan than there is to Pakistan. I think we could do something in Afghanistan and I don’t think it will be long away.”

Afghanistan is an emerging country in cricket terms and its national team has made dramatic progress in recent years, going from the equivalent of a standing start to competing alongside the sport’s leading teams.

This month Afghanistan again qualified for the 2012 World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, having competed in the 2010 edition in the West Indies.

Many Afghan players learnt how to play the game as refugees in Pakistan, after fleeing decades of violence, first during the armed insurrection against the Russian occupation, then during the regime of the Taliban.

Pakistan is a fully-fledged Test nation but the country has been a “no-go area” for major international cricket since an armed terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus during a Test match in Lahore in March 2009.

Pakistan now play their “home” fixtures in the United Arab Emirates.

 

[Jango]

Just shows the bias people have against Pakistn.

Baghdad is more safe for a Arab league conference and visit by Ban Ki moon than Islamabad!!!

 

[Speaker]

Just shows the bias people have against Pakistn.

Baghdad is more safe for a Arab league conference and visit by Ban Ki moon than Islamabad!!!

It is ridiculous on some levels, but also makes sense. NATO still controls the security apparatus in Iraq and Afghanistan, but cannot do that inside Pakistan. The west doesn't doubt Pakistan's ability, but rather the intent/corruption in security forces to protect visiting teams. Let's hope Bangladesh tours Pakistan and brings some closure to these concerns.

 

[Leviza]

It is ridiculous on some levels, but also makes sense. NATO still controls the security apparatus in Iraq and Afghanistan, but cannot do that inside Pakistan. The west doesn't doubt Pakistan's ability, but rather the intent/corruption in security forces to protect visiting teams. Let's hope Bangladesh tours Pakistan and brings some closure to these concerns.

This is totally 100% non-sense ......
basically everyone knows the involvement of indian element in that attack ... so maybe that is the reason....

 

[Musalman]

It is ridiculous on some levels, but also makes sense. NATO still controls the security apparatus in Iraq and Afghanistan, but cannot do that inside Pakistan. The west doesn't doubt Pakistan's ability, but rather the intent/corruption in security forces to protect visiting teams. Let's hope Bangladesh tours Pakistan and brings some closure to these concerns.

This is totally 100% non-sense ......
basically everyone knows the involvement of indian element in that attack ... so maybe that is the reason....

The Indian Gentleman gave a very reasonable reply. I dunno why some one has to act immaturely and ruin the whole thread.

 

[DRaisinHerald]

LONDON: Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) are contemplating a tour of Afghanistan, the club’s president said on Wednesday, indicating that a visit to the war-torn nation was more likely than a trip to neighbouring Pakistan.

Don't wanna come? Don't then, we don't need you rednecks anyway, so stay off

 

[Jango]

It is ridiculous on some levels, but also makes sense. NATO still controls the security apparatus in Iraq and Afghanistan, but cannot do that inside Pakistan. The west doesn't doubt Pakistan's ability, but rather the intent/corruption in security forces to protect visiting teams. Let's hope Bangladesh tours Pakistan and brings some closure to these concerns.

Yeah, we all can see how it has so awesomely failed!!!

Every other, day synchronized blasts take place all over Iraq!

Level of corruption in Afghanistan police is beyond imagination, every other day, a ANA soldier kills somebody supposedly friendly. Americans have a mental breakdown and whatnot.

 

[Areesh]

The Indian Gentleman gave a very reasonable reply. I dunno why some one has to act immaturely and ruin the whole thread.

If you have been following the news about Afghanistan you might know how good and effective security provided by NATO in Afghanistan is. Hence if you realize this part you might also realize how much "reasonable reply" that Bharati has given.

Now coming to the topic this tour also further proves that at least security isn't the reason behind failure of return of Cricket to Pakistan.

 

[Respect4Respect01]

and our country is screwed up just because of afghanistan.

 

[VCheng]

and our country is screwed up just because of afghanistan.

That is an unsupportable oversimplification of the multiple issues facing Pakistan.

 

[mjnaushad]

Hence proved its not safety its the politics which makes decision in cricket.

 

[Deno]

It really must be unimaginably frustrating to see a Nato Member country article about Pakistan's security problems while it is Nato's bombing of Pakistan, Nato attack on Afghanistan and US aid *to pockets of corrupt officals* is the reason Pakistan's suffering...

Do they have any sense at all?

 

[DRaisinHerald]

That is an unsupportable oversimplification of the multiple issues facing Pakistan.

Consider it like this: the day we joined WoT in Afghanistan, we were bound to be effed hard. All things to follow obviously

Do they have any sense at all?

They don't need to. Most people do just watch the news, hear Pakistan was supposedly supporting terrorism and think "Death to this dangerous nation".
And at the end of the it doesn't affect them at all obviously, they're living at the comforts of their own homes, we're the ones that suffer the consequences

 

[VCheng]

Consider it like this: the day we joined WoT in Afghanistab, we were bound to be effed hard. All things to follow obviously...............

I agree that joining the WoT has not returned the benefits that the leadership that committed Pakistan to it were hoping for, but that is their gross miscalculation.

Certain issues are totally indigenous: uncontrolled population growth, lack of infrastructure to keep up, particularly water and energy, mass ignorance and illiteracy, rising radicalism, failing governance, and rampant corruption, to name a few.

These issues would still have to be dealt with, WoT or no WoT.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

and our country is screwed up just because of afghanistan.

to an extent, yes......it's also screwed up because of some of the people's mentality (apathy)

in any other country, a non-performing government would have been thrown out ages ago.......


so according to these people -- Afghanistan is safer than Pakistan. Okay so the simple response is this. Go play there and see for yourself. If you have fun and felt safe -- then bravo. If you're scared and shivering like a school girl at the thought of visiting Pakistan -- then okay. Don't go to Pakistan!

I can't say ''it's not our loss'' but I can say if you have something against Pakistan or simply want to remain ignorant about the fact that security (while still a challenge) has improved significantly -- then maybe you ought to stay away from Pakistan.


i never even heard of ''Marylebone'' cricket club before, to be honest.....i'm not shedding tears











p.s. good luck to Afghanistan cricket team and its development!