October 12, 2008	Sunday	Shawwal 12, 1429

TORONTO, Oct 11: Arjuna Ranatunga, President Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to form a policy for ending what he termed the

double standards shown by players in order to save Pakistan cricket which is suffering due to cancellation of foreign teams’ tours to the country.

“It is a sad situation Pakistan cricket is going through as teams have refused to visit the country owing to security concerns. Pakistan was deprived of holding the ICC Champions Trophy and due to such development Pakistan cricket is suffering a lot,” Ranatunga, the former Sri Lankan captain, said here on Saturday.

He added that to bail out Pakistan from the present crisis there is a dire need that the ICC must form a policy to have its control on such issues and to bind its affiliated member countries not to back out from their playing commitments abroad.

“What we have seen that the Australians players raised their concerns due to security reasons not to visit Pakistan which eventually led to the postponement of the Champions Trophy and now the Australians are playing in India, despite bomb blasts which showed their doubled standards,” he asserted.

Ranatunga lamented the “double standards” of players and said the ICC must take notice of the situation to help Pakistan come out of the present crisis.

“Unless the ICC forms a policy this trend [of skipping tours] will be followed by players and in the presence and implementation of such a policy players and teams will be bound to fulfil their international commitments,” he stated.

“If Pakistan starts a league on the Indian Premier League (IPL) pattern then players from all over the world will love to go there and play for the sake of money — setting aside security fears,” the former batsman said in a light vein.

Mainly it is money, the Sri Lankan cricket chief noted, for which players opt to play in India in leagues, adding that they don’t seem to be concerned for their security or the bomb blasts there.

He said this issue will be discussed at the ICC meeting to be held on Oct 14 in Dubai to find solution of this problem.

“I think it’s time to have a united approach on this issue to find a long-term solution. Security concerns are everywhere. This world is not safe today, so why cricket should suffer and why Pakistan should suffer?” he asked.

Ranatunga also said that SLC is always ready to help Pakistan by sending its team any time the PCB needs it.

“We talked on this issue before but unfortunately we could not have such a series in Sri Lanka because of the lack of sponsorship and we are even now ready to send our team in a makeshift series to help Pakistan,” he said.—APP