The long-awaited programme for cricket tour of the Indian squad saw the light of the day last week simultaneously from the PCB headquarters in Lahore and Kolkata, where the BCCI Chief Jagmohan Dalmiya is stationed. In fact the whole itinerary was known to the sports scribes in this country a few hours earlier for Dalmiya had preceded the Pakistani cricket official in making the announcement and the Indian channels were within their right to give the details of the BCCI president's press conference.
The full schedule of a cricket or any other sporting tour is traditionally the prerogative of the host country but in this specific case politics came in the way and a diplomat heading the hierarchy of Pakistan cricket deemed it proper that the whole plan should be despatched to the touring country and the latter's officials after using the blue pencil communicated it to their Pakistani counterpart, in what in their opinion should form the final approved roadmap of the trip. The Indians followed the line of the New Zealanders and the South Africans and insisted that Peshawar and Karachi were sensitive and risky spots and should be given the minimal share in the tour proceedings. It was no surprise that the Indian board won the day and the itinerary that was made public had the Indian board's approval.
The Pakistani board officials, despite making promises to the media representatives that Karachi, the biggest cricket centre, will not be struck out of the mega cricket ties had but to stoop to the Indian adamancy. Both Peshawar and Karachi were risky towns and a long stay for a five-day Test was unacceptable. This was the advice given by their security-monitoring delegation which visited Pakistan earlier, headed by home ministry's expert Yashurwardhan Azad, responsible for providing protection to VVIP persons. Certainly if India, like New Zealand and South Africa, comes to the conclusion that Karachi and Peshawar were not yet terror-free, not only it will affect future cricket tours by other nations' trade activities and foreign investment will also suffer, though every one knows that Karachi is calm and quiet and is holding all sorts of international moots, including the recently-concluded SAARC law conference. The Indian intellectuals and artistes are also day in and day out coming to this city to have a look at the environmental atmosphere and give the impression of a satisfying stay here.
This sort of bar on two cities is hardly allowed in any other country. Are Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad trouble-free? Daily one incident or the other takes place in the three towns. Will the Indians agree to the demand of any visiting country that no matches should be staged at the Wankhade Stadium, Eden Gardens or Gayarat Stadium, whatever may be the tensions or security situation in those towns. The Indians had a big crowd problem at hand in the 1999 Asian Test final against Pakistan when the entire environ was cleared of the spectators and the duel had to be completed before empty stands.
The England and Wales Cricket Board will not accept a shift of a Test and one-day from London's Oval and Lord's howsoever tense may be the situation nearer those famous grounds.
Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee while welcoming the talks between the two countries dismissed the possibility that the cricket encounters and his team's visit may be marred by ugly incidents because of the intense traditional rivalry between the two nations. If Vajpayee gives a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the tour why the Pakistan board did not insist on Karachi getting its pound of flesh in the match venues. Conversely Jagmohan Dalmiya should not have created hurdles in arranging matches - Test and limited overs - in the Sindh megapolis, previously pressing his government for a 'yes' decision.
Whatever may be the explanation of PCB chairman, Shaharyar Khan, that the neighbouring country's trip should not be taken from the regional or zonal point of view, it is a national event, there is a feeling of sadness in Karachi and most of former Test stars have lashed out at the PCB officialdom for neglecting the main centre of sporting activities in the south. Why should Lahore get two one-dayers when the National Stadium is an imposing sight and has all the facilities, including floodlights, for staging not one but two one-dayers or one nascent tie and a Test match?
The board's No. 2 official, Rameez Raja, continuing his innings as Chief Executive of the PCB, told mediamen that if Pakistan would have stuck to Karachi as also the Frontier capital the whole tour may have been jeoparadised. This is a defeatist explanation, having absurd logic when the Indian cabinet had taken the initiative to clear the cricketing hand-shake. When one-dayer can be arranged in Karachi why not a Test - security concerns will also be felt in the former tie?
One finds that even the original plan of beginning with the Test ties has been upset on the Indian demand. Now the one-dayers become the launching pad for the resumption of cricket friendship instead of the five-dayers, which Pakistan board had thought was less crowd puller. Then the tour has been delayed by a week for unknown reasons. The Indians have already won many points before the first toss in this country.
Anyway locking horns on the field of cricket after 15 years is to be welcomed despite disappointment by the Karachi fans for a step-motherly treatment given to the city by the PCB especially by the newly-installed chairman whose record uptil now has been less satisfying on the cricket front.
It will be a tough organisational challenge for the PCB if the army of workers of the associations is not involved in the events. It is not known whose bright idea is this - may be the chairman himself, the chief executive or somebody who wants that the cleavage between the board and the associations should last for a long time. Keeping the city and district bodies at arm's length would harm the advancement of the game in the country - they are the nurseries and should be encouraged and given the watering so that they donot wither away to the detriment of cricket.
At least one laudable step has been taken by the selection committee by inviting to the camp all-rounder and pinch hitter, Shahid Afridi, and genuine one-day opener, Imran Nazir. Both are brisk and adventurous batsmen, quick fielders with Afridi an intelligent and crafty leg-spinner. Afridi's impetuosity at the start of an innings will have to be curbed. In-form he will be a difficult proposition for the Indian bowlers.
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