Cricket's Munich on India's doorstep

[EnterTheVoid]

"The terrorists will never target cricketers, knowing that they will then lose the battle of hearts and minds of the people. Cricketers are safe in Pakistan." Former Pakistan captain turned politician, Imran Khan, says there is no security threat to cricketers in his country. November 21st 2008

It was a fear that lingered in the back of one’s mind, the premonition of an attack that seemed so incomprehensible, so implausible, so difficult to fathom, it was conveniently disregarded as mere fear mongering, an act that Pakistan claimed, was a systematic and methodical attempt by rogue agencies within the international cricketing fraternity to instil fear and paranoia and psychologically torment touring nations for generations to come with unsubstantiated and exaggerated stories of violence, death and destruction. Despite the close knit image portrayed to the West, the sub continent bloc is a fractured community, akin to a bitter family feud, where the traumatic experiences of partition have left deep physical and psychological wounds that have yet to be healed. Despite the contempt, animosity and deep political divisions, it was commonly agreed that cricket in the sub continent enjoyed a sense of invincibility; a sport followed with unbridled passion by those from all ends of the cultural, social and political spectrums, a sport that cuts through the social injustices suffered by people simply because of their race, religion or sex, a sport that empowers the underprivileged and the forgotten, the ignored and the neglected, those hidden from mainstream society and subjected to a life of incredible poverty and hardships in a seemingly endless cycle of hopelessness and despair. Cricket provided a way out of the poverty, out of the despair and provided opportunities that were beyond anything they could’ve ever imagined. Cricket is more than a game; it is a catalyst for social change and cricketers are the darlings of the country, showered with admiration, love and riches beyond one’s comprehension. Cricketers, past and present, either rightly or wrongly, are portrayed as demigods, admired by millions in a manner second only to religion with their every move scrutinized, sometimes in the most abhorrent and repulsive of ways with no subject taboo, no area off limits and no topic too sacred. Despite the p.r.i.c.k.l.y relationship, the cricketing establishment is revered and cricketers are held in very high regard and looked upon as role models and sources of inspiration. Although the sub continent has long been plagued with senseless terrorist attacks that have caused and continue to cause immense pain, grief and suffering for the victims and their loved ones, cocooned from the bombs and the bullets, the rifles and the sub – machines, the howitzers and the artilleries, was something of inexplicable and paradoxical tranquillity, a piece of heaven on earth, protected by a seemingly invisible yet impenetrable force field, that sheltered its inhabitants from the death, despair and the ugly realities of armed conflict. Amidst the carnage, paradoxically enough, cricket enjoyed an aura of invincibility, a sense that it would remain immune from terrorist attacks, yet hidden away, obscured from view, such conclusions were drawn from fragile and vulnerable foundations. Although cricket itself was never targeted, on numerous occasions, it found itself caught in the crossfire between warring factions and there was an unnerving sense that it was only a matter of time before cricket found itself in the crosshairs of terrorists, forced to absorb the full impact, with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. From a period stretching from early 2007, Pakistan has suffered an unprecedented number of high profile terrorist attacks; devastating in their nature, the attacks have left a crippling blow, sowing the seeds of fear and paranoia and leaving psychological scars that will take generations to heal. A melting pot of religious fanaticism, extremism and state sponsored terrorism, with successive governments following the precedent of failed policies set by their predecessors, Pakistan had the dubious honour of being labelled an “international migraine”. Yet, so ingrained was the passion for cricket that even amidst this volatile backdrop where the bullet ridden walls and the craters left by suicide attacks serve as a gloomy and depressing reminder of the nations sad state of affairs, Pakistan claimed it was safe to tour with politicians such as Imran Khan claiming that cricketers wouldn’t be targeted for the backlash from within would be too severe. The argument was based on the reasoning that any attack on the cricketing fraternity would alienate the public sympathy they enjoy, reasoning, that seemed to hold merit at the time. The argument that “Cricket will not be targeted” formed the catchcry that centred upon negotiations aimed at convincing teams to tour Pakistan. “Cricket will not be targeted.” Try telling that to teams such as Australia or New Zealand. Despite the frivolous and poorly disguised assurances, the danger indeed was palpable and cricketing tours to Pakistan were met with scorn and disdain, with international teams leading a boycott, setting the precedent for others to follow, leaving Pakistan cricket, in the words of Zaheer Abbas as “orphans in the international cricketing community”. Legitimate concerns of safety were dismissed as mere fear mongering and desperate comparisons were drawn to the 7/7 terrorist attacks and others in vain attempts to appear safe. Pakistan claimed that its vulnerable position was unfairly exploited and the fear exhibited by international teams was based on preconceived myths, lies and misconceptions, with the ICC and western countries criticized for their apparent hypocrisy and double standards for apparently isolating them at their time of need. The 26/11 attacks led to India cancelling their scheduled tour of Pakistan in protest, with the void later filled by Sri Lanka, who toured Pakistan in early 2009 for a series of tests and ODI’s. The myth of supposed tranquillity was dispelled in the cruellest, sadistic and most inhumane of ways when the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus was attacked on their way to the Gaddafi stadium on the 3rd day of second test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The attack, brazen in its simplicity, audacious in its execution, was carried out by 12 gunmen armed with sub machine guns, grenades and rocket launchers, who initially targeted the wheels of the bus moving than to target the occupants inside. A rocket was fired at the bus, which missed and hit a security pole. A grenade thrown under the bus failed to explode until the bus had passed. A second minivan containing match officials and other dignitaries was also targeted, the driver of which was killed. All in all, the attack lasted for twenty minutes, killing six Pakistani policemen, two civilians and injuring six members of the Sri Lankan cricket team. The attackers, for their part fled leaving behind their rocket launchers and grenades.

The nature, planning and execution of the attack invoked comparisons to the attack on Israeli athletes by Islamic militants at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Cricket’s own Munich, the attack was broadcast into television sets around the globe with millions from every corner of the globe from all walks of life, from Asia to Australia, from Africa to America, watched on helplessly in disbelief, unable to shy away and unable to look on as the carnage unfolded in front of their very eyes. It was a situation that haunted cricketing organizers, but one that can be argued was never taken too seriously for it was a scenario that seemed too improbable and was in stark contrast to the ignorant belief that “Cricket will not be targeted”. Ignore is bliss, as they say. Overcome with emotion, I kept asking myself “How did this happen” “Why did this happen” with every question raising more questions than it answered. Reverberations of the attack shook the game to its very foundations, with the sight of the Lankan players being airlifted in a military helicopter effectively sealing the fate for cricket in Pakistan for generations to come. Tours to Pakistan were cancelled with immediate effect with the 14 world cup matches originally allocated to Pakistan shared amongst the other co hosts of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. If the attack was difficult to comprehend, the reactions of the Pakistani cricketing fraternity that followed was as surreal as it was disgraceful, with several officials and past players pestering the International Cricket Council to take action against surviving members of the attack who dared to expose the damning security lapses that plagued their entire tour. For too long, authorities in the sub continent have neglected the threat posed to the cricket establishment from terrorist attacks, seeking refuge under the “Cricket will not be targeted” myth, with India itself guilty on numerous occasions. The post mortem of the attack confirmed the suspicion that no one was safe and no target too high profile. *************************************************************************** ; A few random thoughts stitched together

[King Tendulkar]

Yeah good one Imran Khan!!!