Cricket and politics shouldn't mix

[donkey]

Pakistan vetoes Dalai Lama's day at the cricket Posted Tue Mar 1, 2005 7:29am AEDT Updated Tue Mar 1, 2005 8:05am AEDT Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will not inaugurate the opening match of Pakistan's cricket tour of India because the Pakistanis were unhappy with his attendance, it was announced on Monday. The Dalai Lama was due to inaugurate the three-day match between the tourists and an Indian board president's team in the hill resort of Dharamsala from Thursday. The hill town in northern India is the base for the Tibetan leader's government-in-exile. Media reports on Monday said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan had told Indian officials that Pakistan should not be put in an embarrassing position since it enjoys very good relations with China. A statement from the Tibetan leader's office said the Dalai Lama had decided not to accept the invitation by the organisers, the Himachal Pradesh cricket association, to inaugurate the match. "In view of the reservations expressed from some quarters regarding his presence at the match, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has now decided not to inaugurate the cricket match," the statement said. "The general thinking of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not to cause any inconvenience to any party." Dharamsala has hosted the Dalai Lama since he fled Tibet in 1959 amid a failed uprising against Chinese rule. PCB director Abbas Zaidi was quoted in Pakistani news reports as saying that the team will "not take part in any social activity - even those involving the Dalai Lama." "We have a clear understanding with Board of Control for Cricket in India about our engagements in India on the coming tour," Zaidi said. "We've conveyed to them the sensitivities involved in our relations with China and that we will not be attending any social function in Dharamsala including those involving the Dalai Lama." The Pakistani team, which arrived in New Delhi earlier on Monday, will play three Tests and six one-day internationals on its first full tour of India since 1999.

Filthy hypocrites now whining over SL's decision to pursue pro-India policy :finger: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2005/03/01/1312955.htm

[zubinpepsi]

:haha: good catch there donkey..

[donkey]

Hehe thanx buddy, its their old glory days biting them in the ass

[sharma]

good catch indeed. pakis r getting screwed and i for one am loving every bit of it

[donkey]

bump :icflove:

[Alchemist]

At that time they were small hearted.:cantstop:

[jaggadaku]

lankan govt was also singing same tune http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=8028