No international team has played in Pakistan since the March 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
Four years on from the terror attack that plunged Pakistan into sporting isolation, the cricket-mad country looks as far away as ever from hosting international matches.
Sri Lanka were on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of the second Test on March 3, 2009, when militants opened fire and threw grenades at their bus, killing eight people.
The match was abandoned, Sri Lanka left the country and other international teams, already reluctant to tour Pakistan because of security concerns in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the US, refused even to consider touring.
Pakistan has played its "home" matches in the United Arab Emirates ever since, and none of the efforts of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to lure overseas teams back have paid off.
As often happens with high profile militant attacks in Pakistan, a number of suspects were arrested but released due to lack of evidence.
Ehsan Mani, former president of the ICC, said without a proper investigation to reach a clear understanding of what happened in Lahore, international teams would not come back to Pakistan.
"Those were exceedingly tragic events not only for Pakistan cricket and for millions of fans but for me they are more tragic because there has never been a comprehensive inquiry of the mishap," Mani told AFP.
"If Pakistan is to get the confidence of the foreign teams back, a comprehensive inquiry should be done, if it is already done then it should be made public."
All those involved with the game in Pakistan have suffered as a result of the semi-exile.
"Not only our players have suffered from no cricket at home, but we umpires have also suffered because of lack of opportunities to umpire," said former international umpire Nadeem Ghauri, who was injured in the attack.
The PCB has made repeated efforts to convince teams to tour, but even lowly Bangladesh refused to come after twice initially agreeing to limited overs series last year.
Attempts to organise a Twenty20 Super League – considered as a first step towards reviving international cricket – were also put on hold.
Local media termed the forthcoming general elections in May as the hurdle, but the international players' association has issued dire warnings about the security risk of playing in Pakistan.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif hoped things may improve after the elections, which are expected by mid-May.
Despite sincere hopes, the status quo seems likely to linger as South Africa have already announced they will play Pakistan in the UAE in November this year, even before PCB's decision.
COMMENTS (14)
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@Modi:
I know its difficult for you to grasp because of your background...but the militants and terrorists were later identified as LeJ and are known local Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni extremists.
This RAW bogeyman is sadly invoked by brainwashed Pakistani religious nationalists, not unlike the ISI, who are steeped in denial of reality and delusion and can only repeat dishonest propaganda to demonize traditional enemies instead of applying critical thinking and admit that their ideological state harbours such violent criminal militants, extremists and terrorists among their population, which again is also partly ISI's doing.
May be it was RAW, just see the hands who operated this mission. Pakistan has become a place where different militant groups are getting regular salaries from international forces, let it be LeJ/JuD/TTP. These people follow no religion. They are in for the money game.
@Vectra: Just go thorough the article above before defending your VERY innocent RAW and yes I have got a habit of blaming just like your Indian media!!
@gp65: BTW ISI did informed Punjab Government of the attack way before, so it is the incompetency of Punjab Govt not ISI.
@gp65: I suspect Modi was educated at a madrassa and was brainwashed that nothing faults with Pakistan but foreigners. As a logical thinking person I would like to apologise to readers from India that some muslims, especially in Pakistan, are brainwashed with hatred towards hindus as reported in this link: http://dawn.com/2011/11/09/pakistan-schools-teach-hindu-hatred/#idc-cover I have given up on my country of birth as it slowly integrates into oblivion. I will not care if Pakistan totally collapses because I am now a UK citizen and live in UK. For writing this comments I have also been accused of being an Indian and it does not bother me - to be honest I wish I was!
Pakistan Government along with PCB is totally and absolutely responsible for the attack on the Sri Lankan Team Bus. The Government utterly failed OR did not wish to provide enough security for the protection of Sri Lankan Players despite being cautioned by the Security Agencies. The motive of the Government and PCB for not providing enough security is questionable. Hence, the foreign teams refusing to tour Pakistan is justifiable.
The reason teams stay away is not just tje 2009 attacks but the ongoing violence that has continued to occur since then. When even Red Cross and polio workers are not spared, which cricket team would feel secure in coming to Pakistan?
@odi : Sure. RAW did it. ISI on the other hand is incomeptent as it has been unable to do anything either during the World cup or the 5 IPLs since then or the formula racing event that is held in India or the Commonwealth games. So RAW is wonderful and ISI incompetent - going by your own conclusion that RAW did this. Happy now?
Another fiasco and failure of the PPP government....Oh, I mean another feather in their cap!
All pakistanis believe that RAW executed the attacks, and the above article states that many responisble (RAW agents per pakistanis) were caught and yet let go due to lack of evidence?!!!! I mean seriousely, who in the world would believe that Pakistan would let off raw agents due to lack of evidnce!!!! Good luck pakistanis and keep churning out more and more conspiracy theories !
No conviction despite terrorists caught on camera, paints a poor picture of Pakistan's judicial system. Moreover, law and order conditions have gone from bad to worst for the past three years which leaves little hope that overseas teams will agree to play in Pakistan in the near future.
The attack was made by RAW not only to defame Pakistan but also to strip it of hosting 2011 worldcup. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/4935802/Sri-Lankan-cricketers-Pakistan-ignored-warnings-about-attack-on-team-bus.html