Former Pakistan greats Monday bemoaned the decision to take away the Champions Trophy tournament over security concerns, leaving the cricket-mad country increasingly isolated internationally. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday decided to move the elite eight-nation 2009 series out of Pakistan, marking the third major cricketing event cancelled in the troubled country in 12 months.
"Pakistan has definitely been isolated," former captain Wasim Akram told AFP. "Sure there were security problems in the past but things are getting better and Pakistan deserved more and more cricket at international level." The Champions Trophy was originally scheduled for September-October 2008 but was put off for 12 months after South Africa pulled out of the event, while Australia, England and New Zealand showed reservations about security.
Wasim said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had failed to convince teams the country had become safer. "PCB should convince nations to play in Pakistan. How would cricket develop in Pakistan when there is no international cricket?" said Wasim. "You can't blame the ICC, they go by what their member countries say," said Wasim, who still holds the world record of most one-day wickets at 502.
Former fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz blamed India for pressuring other countries not to play in Pakistan. "Since the Mumbai attacks, India is going all out to isolate Pakistan. India must have pressurised the English-speaking countries not to play in Pakistan," said Nawaz. "The ICC is to be blamed equally. The only thing left for the ICC is throw Pakistan out of international cricket."
Last March, Australia refused to tour Pakistan over security fears. India decided not to allow its team to tour Pakistan this January and February as political tensions between the two arch rivals heightened after November's attacks in Mumbai, which India blamed on militants in Pakistan. Former PCB chairman, retired Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia, said Pakistan's isolation was temporary.
"We must remain patient, it's a temporary isolation," said Zia. "Since the Mumbai attacks we have lost an important power in India who at government level have gone against us but at cricket level they are not against us. "The return of international cricket to Pakistan depends on the security situation, which will improve."