There has been a suicide blast outside Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Zimbabwe is playing the second ODI a few feet away. Is this the end of international cricket in Pakistan?
Do you remember those times when the likes of Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq,
Shoaib Akhtar and all would pep up the crowd with their sharp performances? I do.
Cricket was Pakistan’s happiness. A war-torn country had one thing to cheer about. A little blip of excitement whenever a foreign team would land on their soil, the buzz would catch and fizzle out only when they’d leave.
However, Pakistan’s relationship with cricket has been going through a rough patch, with the status changing on and off. Pakistan cricket has been through a turmoil — hit by fixing allegations, with some jailed, some parting ways and some being sent off.
Their levels of cricket have been dropping, Their World Cup campaign wasn’t great. Their staff doesn’t stick around for long thanks to rude behaviour by some of their players.
Going back in time, international cricket in Pakistan in 2009 came to a grinding halt when Sri Lankan cricketers were targeted by gunmen, injuring many of them. It was a narrow escape. They vowed never to go back there again. Cricketing teams shut their doors on them. Pakistan cricket suffered a heavy blow. No one wanted to step on their soil.
They continued touring other countries. Suddenly, team Zimbabwe decided to brave it. They did. What happened? Another blast. This time killing a sub inspector. Policemen stopped the bomber before he could enter the outer wall of the Gaddafi Stadium where he blew himself up on Friday night. Thank God.
Boom! This blast will perhaps rip the last remaining shreds of cricket there. Meanwhile, be safe, team Zimbabwe.
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