26/11 still casts a shadow on Indo-Pak cricket ties

July 17, 2012

indopakcricket


One of cricket's greatest rivalries is all set to resume as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited Pakistan to travel to India for a One Day International and T-20 series in December. The invitation by the cricketing body assumes significance because the bilateral ties between the neighbours have been in cold storage since the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.


The 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai not only altered its landscape, but also left behind a trail of devastation. And the fallout of the coordinated strike by terrorists from across the border also ensured cricketing ties between India and Pakistan were brought to a grinding halt.


However, it will change with the BCCI announcing that Pakistan will visit in December to play three ODIs and two T-20s. The mini series will be played between December 23 and January 9, 2013. While Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi will host the three ODIs, the two T-20 internationals will be played at Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

Reacting to the decision of the BCCI, Ministry of External Affairs sources said, "This is an in-principle decision of the BCCI and PCB. There remain security concerns. Both boards have to indicate the dates and locations for clearances including security issues."


Though no Ministry official came on record to say anything on the BCCI's announcement, in private they express their reservations citing Pakistan's failure to deliver on India's demands, including action against Mumbai terror accused.


Pakistan is yet to punish those involved in the 26/11 attack and that country has not conceded to India's demand for giving voice samples of the handlers and masterminds of the terror strike, they said.


The terror infrastructure across the border continues to flourish unabated while Pakistan-based militants groups keep sending their armed cadres to Jammu and Kashmir, they said.


The development did not appear to go down well with many other as well.


Former Indian captain and legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said there was no urgency to invite Pakistan to play in the country. He said, "Being a Mumbaikar, I feel what is the urgency when there is no co-operation from the other side?"


The Maharashtra Congress too hit out at the BCCI over the decision. State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre said, "The country and the BCCI should be one. The BCCI can not go against country, and they should take a decision which the country wants."


The decision also provided some ammunition to the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to attack the government.


BJP leader Kirti Azad said, "It is not a problem with playing with anyone I just want to ask them that what new has happened. The government must answer this. We have provided all the evidences to them but they didn’t take any action."


"I accept that sports is a medium to improve ties but it cannot be misused… I don’t think it is a welcome step, this is a very serious issue," he further said.


The BJP also said that along with the players of the Pakistani cricket team, the terrorists involved in the 26/11 attack should also be brought to India.


BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, "The Pakistan cricket team had come to India earlier for the World Cup. The team of terrorists involved in the 26/11 attack should also be brought to India."


However, the Home Ministry is yet to receive a formal communication from the BCCI on the proposed cricket series. However, a decision on extending an elaborate security cover for the visiting Pakistani team would be taken by the Home Ministry once it gets official intimation from the cricket board, officials said.


If the government takes a political decision, the machinery will implement it, they said.



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News Network
March 23,2020

Colombo, Mar 23: Sri Lankan batting great Kumar Sangakkara has said he is currently in self-quarantine, following his government's guidelines for those recently returning from Europe, which has now become the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The authorities are concerned over people returning from the most-affected COVID-19 countries in Europe not registering with the police and practising isolation.

"I have no symptoms or anything like that, but I'm following government guidelines," Sangakkara told News First.

"I arrived from London over a week ago and the first thing was there was a news bulletin saying that anyone who had travelled from within March 1 to 15 should register themselves with the police and undergo self-quarantine. I registered myself with the police."

The former captain said this even as the government confirmed there have been at least three cases of recent returnees attempting to hide the novel coronavirus symptoms from authorities.

Both Sangakkara and his former teammate Mahela Jayawardene have been active on social media, urging Sri Lankans to avoid panic and to exercise proper social distancing, as the country went into curfew on Friday evening.

Sri Lanka has so far reported more than 80 active COVID-19 positive cases in the country.

Across the world, the number of infected has crossed three lakh besides a death toll of more than 14,000 people.

Meanwhile, former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie has also gone into a two-week isolation after returning from the United Kingdom.

Gillespie, who is the head coach at Sussex, had been in Cape Town with the team for a pre-season tour, which was cut short as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

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News Network
May 7,2020

Melbourne, May 7: Australia opener Joe Burns is eyeing the Tests against India should they take place later this year, to stabilise his stop-start international career, saying "you want to play in and do well in" in this kind of series.

India is scheduled to play four Tests in Australia in December-January, a series which is currently in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed over 2.5 lakh lives across the world.

"They are obviously world class team. I think the two teams going at each other will be very exciting to watch and players playing against each other as well," Burns told reporters in a video conference on Thursday.

"You look at the world ranking, they were number one and now we have got to number one, so I know that series will be anticipated by everyone and as a player this is a sort of series you want to play in and do well in."

With the coronavirus also threatening the T20 World Cup, Cricket Australia is under financial stress and has gone on a cost-cutting drive, which included standing down 80 per cent of its staff at 20 per cent salary.

There are also speculations that the Sheffield Shield for 2020-21 would be curtailed to cut costs.

Burns, however, hoped it won't be tinkered with.

"I love the fact we have a really strong first-class system. The 10 games, where you play everyone twice," Burns, who was struck down by a fatigue illness after an indifferent season, said.

"It leads to world-class players coming into Test teams. You don't want to see that get changed.

"Obviously it is unique circumstances at the moment and There's a lot of things to work through ... the players' association is consulted on those things."

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News Network
February 26,2020

Melbourne, Feb 26: On a high after two easy victories on the trot, including one against defending champion Australia, the Indian women's cricket team will aim to inch closer to a semifinal berth when it takes on New Zealand in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup here on Thursday.

The Indians have hardly broke a sweat in their 17-run and 18-run wins over hosts Australia and Bangladesh in their previous two matches, and they are perched at the top of five-team Group A standings with four points from two matches.

A win against New Zealand on Thursday will take the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side on the threshold of a knock-out stage spot, to be competed among top two teams from Group A and B.

In the two matches so far, the Indian team has been impressive both in batting and bowling.

The 16-year-old sensation Shafali Verma has been the standout batter with a whirlwind 17-ball 39 against Bangladesh, following her 29 against Australia.

One-down Jemimah Rodrigues has also been among the runs with 26 and 34 in the two matches so far.

Only captain Harmanpreet, among the top order batters, has not scored big and she is due big innings.

India is also likely to be bolstered by the return of star opener Smriti Mandhana who missed the match against Bangladesh due to fever.

The middle-order has also done its bit with Deepti Sharma playing a major role against Australia with an unbeaten 49 while Veda Krishnamurthy hit a match-defining 11-ball 20 not out for a late flourish against Bangladesh.

The bowling department has been led admirably by seasoned leg-spinner Poonam Yadav -- seven wickets in the first two matches -- with pacer Shikha Pandey ably supporting her with five scalps so far.

New Zealand, though, have a better head-to-head record against India in recent years, having won the last three matches between the two sides.

Exactly a year back, they had beaten the Indian team 3-0 in a three-match T20 International home series.

India will, however, remember their massive 34-run win against New Zealand in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in 2018 in the West Indies. Harmanpreet had struck a memorable 103 to lead her side to victory.

New Zealand have some top-class players in their ranks in the form of captain and all-rounder Sophie Devine and top-order batswoman Suzie Bates while pacer Lea Tahuhu and leg-spinner Amelia Kerr will lead the bowling department.

They will go into this match on a high after an easy seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Devine had led her side from the front with an unbeaten 75 off 55 balls at the top of the order in that win.

The Teams:

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Richa Ghosh, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar.

New Zealand: Sophie Devine (capt), Rosemary Mair, Amelia Kerr, Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Katey Martin (wk), Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Rachel Priest, Lea Tahuhu.

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