Miandad blames conspiracy for Pakistan isolation in cricket

[Mirage2000]

Miandad blames conspiracy for Pakistan isolation​

DUBAI: Pakistan legend Javed Miandad said Thursday a ‘conspiracy’ seeking to undermine his country was behind its increasing isolation in world cricket.



Pakistan were left to play their latest cricket series at the neutral venues of Dubai and Abu Dhabi after Australia refused to tour the troubled country, describing it as a high risk for their players.


And the International Cricket Council (ICC) last week endorsed that view by stripping the country of its share of 2011 World Cup matches following last month's deadly terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.


But Miandad, a director general of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), told AFP: ‘I am convinced that it's nothing but a conspiracy and some groups want to isolate Pakistan.’



Miandad accepted Pakistan's reputation as cricket venue had been damaged by the Lahore attacks, which left seven Sri Lankan players and a coach wounded while eight policemen were killed.


But the security situation would have improved in time for the World Cup fixtures two years away, he said.


‘I think the ICC took a decision in haste,’ said Miandad, who played a record 124 Tests for Pakistan and was regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the world. ‘The decision (to move the World Cup matches) has shocked us.’The ICC awarded the 2011 World Cup to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh while Australia and New Zealand will host the event in 2015.


‘If safety was their concern then the 2011 World Cup should have been given to Australia and New Zealand and the Asian countries could have hosted the 2015 World Cup,’ said Miandad.


The cricket star believes a conspiracy was hatched in 2001 when teams started to refuse tours to Pakistan.


‘First it was the West Indies, then Australia,’ said Miandad of the two teams who forced Pakistan to play at neutral venues in 2002.


‘There are some groups with a monopoly and they are playing the game. Today it is Pakistan, tomorrow it could be some other country. I am sad that the Asian counties did not back Pakistan and think that they can also face the same situation one day.’Miandad said the PCB had been striving to improve Pakistan's image -- on and off the field.


‘We did a wonderful job by staging a safe Test in Karachi but unfortunately things went wrong in Lahore. The same thing happened in Mumbai, India, but England did not have problems on touring,’ Miandad said, referring to England's India tour after terrorist attacks on Mumbai in November last year left over 160 people dead.
‘It's double standards,’ he went on. ‘The cricket world has isolated Pakistan and it's not in the best interest of the game.’

DAWN.COM | Cricket | Miandad blames conspiracy for Pakistan isolation

 

[sreena]

It really is double standards according to me... One factor which works for us Indians is the image which is not as bad as pakistan's 'terrorism haven' image conveyed through the media..and also as you know BCCI got the money power and influence!!