South Africa Pull Out

[Precambrian]

I think if all the non-asian countries pull out, the asian bloc might as well conduct a 20-20 Asia cup.

Funny how some people argue, 'If they could play Ashes despite bombs in London, if they could play IPL despite the Bomb blasts in jaipur, they ought to play in Pakistan too'

In the former it was national pride with a bit of personal glory plus money, in the latter, it's pure bloody filthy money. Sadly Champions trophy offers nothing in that scale. Can't really blame players for lacking motivation.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

I can't understand why the media has decided to report South Africa's decision to withdraw on security grounds as a 'boycott'. Completely misleading. There's no moral principle involved, just a rational decision based on whether it is safe to go or not. If I was invited to go for a weekend break in Baghdad right now, I would say no - but I wouldn't be boycotting the place...

 

[WhatisRight]

I can't understand why the media has decided to report South Africa's decision to withdraw on security grounds as a 'boycott'. Completely misleading. There's no moral principle involved, just a rational decision based on whether it is safe to go or not. If I was invited to go for a weekend break in Baghdad right now, I would say no - but I wouldn't be boycotting the place...

Theres a big difference between boycotting a place and boycotting a tournament. where does it say SA is boycotting pakistan? It clearly says SA is boycotting champions trophy which is right.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Would rather see SA playing than Pakistan tbh.

 

[Jono]

If Shoaib plays, I'd rather see Pakistan

 

[biased indian]

with all the unfortunate bomb balst happening in india i think australia will not be touring india as well

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Theres a big difference between boycotting a place and boycotting a tournament. where does it say SA is boycotting pakistan? It clearly says SA is boycotting champions trophy which is right.

No, South Africa are withdrawing from the Champions Trophy because of security concerns in Pakistan. Boycotting implies that there is something wrong in principle with the idea, when here there is none.

 

[Jono]

Some might argue that the mere useless existence of the Champions Trophy a principle is worth boycotting

 

[GIMH]

So then it wouldn't be childish at all

Yes, it is. I can see why they are taking such a stand if they feel that Pakistan is safe, that doesn't mean it's not childish though, because it is "you won't come to my party so we're not going to go to yours"

 

[GIMH]

Haha...excellent, Jono, excellent.

Got the haughty Englishman right between the eyes there

GAGF, do you ever post here aside from dissing the English? You're a joke.

 

[GIMH]

First recorded incidence of anyone from The Wirral being described as "haughty". GIMH's clearly being hanging around with us southern snobs for too long; he'll be getting out of the shower to take a piss next.

Anyway, as DCYE suggests, an interesting call. I'd guess it's a player-lead pull-out as the SA board seems to have invariably supported the Asian bloc of late.

 

[roseboy64]

Just cancel it and wait till the West Indies in 2010. Yeah.

 

[duffer]

Yes, it is. I can see why they are taking such a stand if they feel that Pakistan is safe, that doesn't mean it's not childish though, because it is "you won't come to my party so we're not going to go to yours"

The Indian team just played a tournament there and by all accounts the players would have no problems going back anytime. Why would you doubt they feel Pakistan is safe to tour?

 

[GIMH]

I don't doubt that India believe it's safe

 

[Uppercut]

First recorded incidence of anyone from The Wirral being described as "haughty". GIMH's clearly being hanging around with us southern snobs for too long; he'll be getting out of the shower to take a piss next.

Anyway, as DCYE suggests, an interesting call. I'd guess it's a player-lead pull-out as the SA board seems to have invariably supported the Asian bloc of late.

Will absolutely be stealing that at some point btw.

 

[zaremba]

Just cancel it and wait till the West Indies in 2010. Yeah.

Or keep postponing it till 2010 and then have back-to-back Champions Trophies with a couple of days' break in between.

 

[pup11]

The Indian team just played a tournament there and by all accounts the players would have no problems going back anytime. Why would you doubt they feel Pakistan is safe to tour?

The fact is that bombings have now become a part and parcel in the lives of most of the people in the sub-continent, everytime you step out of your house there is always this danger lurking (which btw is a very sorry thing, but its the reality), but for people in western countries these bombings are even more terrifing because bombing incidents are very rare in those countries, so they feel much more safer on that side of the world.

I don't doubt that India believe it's safe.

Let's be honest if this tournament was to take place and had every team toured Pakistan, then with the kind of security the PCB had promised to arrange, the security of no team would have been a problem. The players from the western countries are obviously scared of the situation prevalent in Pakistan for sometime now, and hence they have expressed their concern, there are obviously two ways to look at this situation, one can always say that if the terrorist groups were really heel-bent on hurting these teams then its not really necessary for them to wait for these teams to come to Pakistan to do so, they can target them in any part of the world (and that's the sorry state of the world we live in), and if one looks at all this from the perspective of players from the western countries, then they obviously don't want to go to Pakistan due to all the terrorist attacks that have been taking place there, and they see danger in going to Pakistan in such circumstances.

 

[biased indian]

The fact is that bombings have now become a part and parcel in the lives of most of the people in the sub-continent, everytime you step out of your house there is always this danger lurking (which btw is a very sorry thing, but its the reality), but for people in western countries these bombings are even more terrifing because bombing incidents are very rare in those countries, so they feel much more safer on that side of the world.

Think all the non sub continental countries should select army personnel for their cricket teams so that they can tour sub continent with out the fear of bombings

 

[pup11]

Champions Trophy 2008

Pakistan hope to fill gap

Cricinfo staff

August 25, 2008

Pakistan are confident that they will be able to confirm a series against a Test-playing nation in order to fill the gap created by the postponement of the Champions Trophy which was scheduled to be held in September.


Shafqat Naghmi, Pakistan board's chief operating officer, told the News that the PCB would contact Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand to try and fix matches for September.


Pakistan could also invite either India or Sri Lanka for a home series but they've already played against them this year. Pakistan are also hosting India for a full Test and one-day series early next year.

"We don't want to take any gloss away from what is our most important home assignment [against India] by playing against them so close to the series," Naghmi said. "Sri Lanka is also an option."

Australia are set to tour Pakistan next April for a five-match one-day series and a Twenty20 and Naghmi was optimistic they would honour their commitment. However, he admitted his disappointment at the non-Asian teams for pulling out.

"We are definitely disappointed by Australia because they have not toured us for 10 years," Naghmi told AFP. "Australia have a commitment of playing five one-day internationals in April next year so we hope by then their fears are removed and they play in our country."


The ICC postponed the Champions Trophy, which was due to begin in Pakistan in 19 days' time, to October 2009, after five of the eight participating nations confirmed during a teleconference on Sunday that they would not send their teams for the event due to security concerns.

© Cricinfo
Does PCB really expect Australia to tour for a 5 match bilateral series in September when they weren't ready to come for CT!?!

 

[Fusion]

A Devastating Decision

Osman Samiuddin captures my feelings on this topic perfectly.