A Day To Forget

There are times when, no matter how opinionated or vocal an individual you are, you have to be rendered speechless. Today is one of those days. After the horrific terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team, words are not enough. What a sad indictment it is of how used we have become to acts of terrorism that with multiple deaths and countless injuries one of the first things said to me today was, “it could have been so much worse. “ A poor choice of words perhaps from the individual, but undeniably true.
Thoughts have to be with the families of those policemen, civilians and drivers caught up in this gunfight. Perhaps the only saving grace to come out of today is that there aren’t more families facing that life shattering phone call. It would be tough enough to attempt to rationalise the attack, were it not for the miserable selection of events that put the Sri Lankan team, the media and their security entourage in that position in the first place.
The Sri Lankan’s had stepped in to fill the void left by India who dropped out for security reasons just as the Australian’s had done before them. Mahela Jayawardene and the Sri Lankan government required serious reassurances before they could be persuaded to tour Pakistan in the first place. One can’t help but wonder what went through Indian players minds as they donned black armbands at the change of innings in their ODI against New Zealand.
As far as the Pakistani authorities and governments are concerned some serious questions must be asked. Although the determination of terrorists is not to be under-estimated, should those assurances over safety have ever been given? Equally, given rumours that there was a tip off of the ambush on Monday (the team’s route to the ground was changed) was enough done to step up security?
Once people have been given time to recover, these would naturally be the most pressing issues. However, the ICC also has some serious decisions to make, and quickly. Having already postponed the Champion’s Trophy once, it will now surely be moved, and the World Cup will probably not be far behind. Following the Mumbai bombings, the Tamil’s in Bangladesh and of course today’s tragedy, the suitability of the sub-continent to host a tournament of that magnitude and importance must be called into question.
With the IPL as the most immediate tournament of quality, the superstar names of England and other countries who fought so hard for their chance to make the big bucks must now seriously be rethinking their options. Some prizes aren’t worth the prices. Equally, Pakistan must surely now resign itself to a long absence from hosting international sport. Although it must not be abandoned by the cricket community, there is no way it can be deemed a suitable place for prestigious sportsmen to ply their trade. What a shame that it is the sub-continent, where cricket supporters are most fanatical, is the place that their cricket heroes must now be most afraid to go.
For the time being however, we should simply mourn those lost and be thankful for those who survived. People are already talking about trying to use England as a neutral venue but now is not the time. Although the bureaucrats will need to start dealing with these highly complicated issues in the near future, cricket can wait.