THE recent decision of the Australian cricket administrators to not send their cricket team to tour Pakistan for a couple of ODIs in March-April this year is not just a disappointment for players and fans, but also a lost opportunity for the international cricket community. Last month, Pakistan, which is scheduled to host Australia for a five-match ODI series in the UAE, had asked Cricket Australia to allow their team to play at least two of the matches in Pakistan. The PCB also suggested that as part of standard protocol for a bilateral series, Australia could send their reconnaissance team to Pakistan to review the security arrangements before deciding on whether or not to play here. However, according to reports, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advised reconsidering tour plans to Pakistan where “some regions are complete no-go zones”. Though, apart from a couple of instances, foreign teams have shunned cricket tours to Pakistan since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, the Australians do not have a convincing argument now since the security situation has improved considerably.

Indeed, it is a questionable decision, and, in light of the fact that all possible security precautions have been pledged by the host country, it is one which militant groups would see as a victory for themselves. The recent statements from key Australian players, including Aaron Finch, middle-order batsman Usman Khawaja and a few others, that they would be excited about playing here if Cricket Australia gave the team the go-ahead, indicates that they had no qualms about touring Pakistan. In 2015, when the Aussies called off their Bangladesh tour, former Australian captain Ian Chappell asked, “If the same situation was occurring on a tour to India, what would happen then?” It would not have been easy to say no, he said. The PCB has stressed that discussions with CA are ongoing. It is hoped that the Australians will reconsider their decision.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019