Police commandos stand guard as buses carrying the Zimbabwe and Pakistani cricket teams arrive at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on May 31, 2015. PHOTO: AFP
Cricket may have marked a return to Pakistan, but its departure has left us more confused than before. Are fans reasonable in expecting more international cricket at home in the future? Or should they, like patriots do, hope against hope? The Zimbabwe series, which concluded on May 31, would have partially been able to answer these questions if the incident during the second One-Day International (ODI) on May 29 had not raised security concerns. The police had initially stated that a low-intensity cylinder explosion had occurred outside the Gaddafi Stadium, but Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid later said that a suicide bomber was responsible for the blast. The visiting Zimbabweans, who had already extended more than their fair share of courtesy and their lives into the hands of Pakistani authorities, were gracious in staying on for the third ODI.
Despite the confusion, the third ODI went ahead, but doubts had certainly crept in. Therefore, perhaps, it was fitting that the series did not reach its logical conclusion. A dust storm and later rain decided to end proceedings that had, so far, kept everyone at the edge of their seats — and not just because of the action on the field. When it came to cricket, performances were mixed. Shoaib Malik struck form — much to the delight of some and dismay of other fans — and Azhar Ali continued showing maturity. The crowd roared and cheered both sides, but when it came to Pakistan’s bowling performance, the graph was nothing less than ridiculously abysmal. Mohammad Sami was brought back again and failed — again. Fielding remained shoddy. However, there was a sense of purpose in the batting line-up — missing from the team for a while — and that may have been because of the home crowd factor. Pakistan, as a country, may have seen a Test-playing nation pay a visit, but questions still remain. Is the country safe enough to host international cricket? If not, then when would it be? Have culprits from the 2009 attack been convicted? Has the country at least reached the root of the issue if not resolved it yet?
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2015.
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