Hence, your refusal seems strange to me, borne of a mental caricature of a country that bears no relationship with the "risks" that you will face. To me, this smacks of cultural imperialism, an unwillingness to properly understand and engage with the reality of a much poorer country.

Instead you wallow in the splendour of your rich world lifestyles. This whole approach is against the spirit of cricket, a game that has helped bridge social and political divisions and conflicts.

I fail to understand the risks you perceive you will be exposed to? As I have argued before, these risks are far smaller than driving a fast car, crossing the road, swimming with sharks or any of the extreme sports you are famous for indulging in. Cricketers have died or been seriously injured on the cricket field throughout the world while no cricketer has ever come to harm during Pakistan's "troubles".

Failing all that, if you do fear the bombers of Karachi more than the bombers of London, Colombo, or Mumbai then please stay at home but you should allow braver, hungrier, and more realistic cricketers to go in your place.

Surely the answer for Cricket Australia is to assemble a team of the willing and honour its commitment to international cricket? The alternative is an international game that becomes increasing divided by false fears into a game of the rich and poor. Cricket has always had greater significance than most sports, and your attitude does this great game a monumental disservice.

In India there are many bomb blasts as well and Aussies are ready to go to India because they are getting more money from them. If Australia boycotts the tour then Pakistan should also boycott their tour to Australia. ICC should come into action before this matter gets worse.

Bravo! As Western governments famously state: 'terrorism cannot deter us'. Its time to put their money where their horse is

well i agree with most of the things i said.but religion has got nothing to do with this. anybody with a semblance of understanding of politics wont bring islam into this. terrorism is a universal phenomena nand can strike anywhere. the identity of pakistan is clear and we r not trying to fix islam in the modern world.islam is for all times. so kamran abbasi get a grip of wotever u say.as for the aussies if they can stay in london after the 7/7 they can stay anywhere/its blatant hypocracy on their part

If Pakistan can't save its ex-PM. It is not capable of saving Australian team either. It would be a Sheer dependency on terrorists that Whether they want to Kill Australians or not. Govt of Pakistan have no control whatsoever over it.

Australian Army is in Afghanistan and is supporting USA and thats a good enough reason for terrorists to harm Australians

I am a Pakistani and visit Pakistan 3-4 times a year (for total of 20-25 days), and consider my self highly unsafe over there.

I won't blame Australian team when Majority of Pakistani govt. officials have taken dual Foreign Nationality and they spend their lives abroad after retirement.

Well I cannot agree more than the comments made by Kamran. The ground realities in Pakistan are very different then to the one's potryed in the world media. Our biggest rival India has come to Pakistan and played Tests in places like Karachi and I tell all the Australians players to ask the Indian team as to how was their security and how well they were treated in Pakistan. We will not accept any excuse from Australia if they cancel the tour to Pakistan because it will not only be a financial loss to PCB but also a sad day for cricket in Pakistan.

Agree with you completely Mr Abassi. Australia were in no hurry to leave Eng when the July 7 bombing took place. So how come they are sooo scared to tour Pakistan.

If the events of July 7 had taken place in Pakistan, while Australia were here, then Australia would have been running back to their country.

Its a shame that Australia possess these double standards when it comes to touring. Do they even send a security delegation to england before they tour????

Cricket Australia should take a stern stance against players not willing to tour and the ICC should place sanctions on countries not willing to tour Pakistan. ICC needs to make Australia aware of their double standards.

England,SA and Zim have all toured recently and encountered no problems.

Both England and SA have toured at least twice in the last 8 years. So why can't Aus.

Double standards

You are completely correct regarding the significance a tour by Australia would do to encourage friendship and understanding between two different countries with two different cultures.

The only news the media generally reports in Australia (for that matter Europe, UK, North America) about Pakistan is bomb blasts, kidnappings, beheadings, Taliban, assassinations.

Understand these cricketers have families ! They may not see their role in life as a peace and understanding ambassadors.

More likely these Australian cricketers have a wife and two or three kids when they go home each night. Its wrong to condemn these cricketers.

Pakistan might need to explain to the cricketers that no threat to players safety exists or that it is minimal.

Australian cricketers believe they are at the end of the day playing a game they are not seeking to risk their life. They are simply putting their family first.

Hear, Hear! As an expatriate Australian I could not agree more. If they take the view that it is just about safety, then they are deeming the sport which rewards them so handsomely, in a great many ways, less important than the feeling of being removed entirely from all sense of possible danger. The world has inherently unsafe elements, and by "world" I mean all countries and all facets of society. And while the trip to pakistan might seem to be a risk, the opportunities to further themselves and show the world that a policy of inclusiveness can aid in the regrowth of this place, I think, is much more important (On that note, I have been to Pakistan, and i found it's people to be incredibly warm and kind. What is seen of Pakistan, and many other countries also, in the world media is often flagrantly misleading).
However, I present this as my opinion, made from my perspective. Each person would have to make this decision on their own views, and, therefore, never necessarily be wrong.

As an Australian myself, I think that the team's acting like a bunch of wusses. If it's safe for the Indians, of all people, it should be safe for the Australians, who've never really had a historical beef with Pakistan. And another thing- yes, there are terrorists in Pakistan, but if you allow their threats to interfere with your life, aren't you letting the terrorists win?

I am not sure why are you blaming the Aussies for being bothered about their lives. if you cudnt protect ur ex-PM there is no realistic chance that anybody else can be protected. There are probably more suicide bombers in Pakistan at this moment than people at the universities combined. if a high court is not safe.. how safe can be a hotel or a cricket field.

It would be a sad day for cricket, but it would be better to put the blame on Mr. Mush and the government rather than Aussie cricketers who probably dont see a suicide bombing every day in Sydney or Melbourne.

I have made my return to Mr Abbasi's blog and hope that learned posters who helped Pakspin reach unprecedented glory in the past will also follow my example. Yes, I am talking about the honourable posters Jamjar, Euceph, Osman Ali, Eamiran etc etc.
Despite the character limits, let us indulge in the same high quality, intellectual discussion and let us re-pledge our loyalties to Mr Abbasi. This is an honest plea for the sake of everyone's enjoyment of Pakspin!

The Aussies have proven to be wimps in expressing great reluctance to tour Pakistan. This will only cause more grief to the cricket starved Pakistani public who have already faced many woes resulting from the political and social turmoil in the country. For the sake of national pride Pakistan should refuse future tours to Australia citing that no cricketer is under any sort of threat in Pakistan and has never been. I fully concur with Mr Abbasi that this is a subtle example of cultural imperialism and an unwillingness to understand or tolerate a foreign country's affairs.

I totally agree with Mr. Abbasi. We all know sports and in particular cricket as a bridge between countries, cultures, ethnic origins & most of all people. I also remember that solidarity match back in world cup 1996 played between Sri Lanka and a team consisting of BRAVE cricketers from Pakistan & India when fragile Aussies & West Indians chickened out of their world cup matches in Sri Lanka. The world witnessed that none of the players, the officials and the crowd were wearing armours.

The Aussies should take a tip from teams who have recently travelled to Pakistan, the South Africans & Zimbabweans. Did they received any bomb or death threats? or were they not given full security? They should also note that when you are not travelling because of security threats, eggs are thrown at members of foreign team in your country. It could have been any thing other than eggs. This is a security threat. Did you provided ample security to those sportsmen? Well my answer is NO.

Kamran, did it smack of 'cultural imperialism' when Aussie diggers and their Blackhawks (soldiers if you were wondering) were helping out after the 05 earthquake, or were they just lost on their way to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban?

The Australian government recommends it's citizens do not travel, and last time I checked Ricky Ponting & Co carried a passport with and emu and a kangaroo on it. And as for driving cars, crossing the road, and swimming with sharks - well, you can do that anywhere, so why add the odd bombing to the risk.

You might think I am against the tour but I'm not - I'm against the notion that simply dismissing someone else's concerns makes it acceptable to ridicule them. Since we're talking about people's lives, how about you lay your own cards on the table Kamran! What's your net worth, are you living the rich world lifestyle? I'd wager you're doing it a bit better than the average Pakistani. Be careful getting off your high horse.

I can see australian not coming here for sure after creating this fuss. I request PCB to reciprocate this act of Australian by boycotting their tour of Australia next year and causing the financial losses.

If Pakistan cannot keep politicians safe, there is no value in their promise to keep the Australian cricketers safe. You may have met many "religious men" in Pakistan, but somehow I doubt whether many of those you met were committed to the use of violence against infidels to bring about an Islamic state. I don't think the Australian's are worried about rational people - the players' concerns are about people trying to overthrow the government who might see killing them as a good way of getting some global publicity for their cause.

I'm rather curious how much time the writer spends in Pakistan, or does he live elsewhere?

I realise that it is very important for normal life and normal sporting interests to be shored up as Pakistan experiences political change. An Australian tour would be helpful, but it is unfair to say that there is no danger.

To must of us, people who blow themselves up in fanatical attacks are just barking mad, and we simply can't guess what target they may choose. Australians have been fighting in Iraq, and are fighting in Afghanistan. The Bali bombings let them know that the madmen are on their case, so I really can't blame the cricketers.

I sense that the majority of Pakistanis are religious, but also determined that their country will develop economically and join the developed world. Their victory over the terrorists would be helped a bit by an Australian tour, but it would be set back a long way by a successful attack on the Australian team.

Sitting safe (or safeish) home in England it's hard to call.

marcus get off the video games there cricketers not soldiers they don't need to go if they feel unsafe

I think that an Australian XI would make an excellent terrorist target- and whilst on the subject an official Cricket Australia committee determines whether it is safe to go or not.. the cricketers themselves have no say in it in the end..

Playing to placate the Pakistan public isn't worth losing one's life over.. sorry we don't have public political assasinations in our country.

I think Aussies should not tour Pakistan, even they do tour they will abondon the tour even on a sound of fire cracker leave alone suicide bombs etc...... The tour will unfortunately further defame Pakistan and its peace loving people.

ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.........

Well done KA

i am not a pakistani. and my view is that aussies are doing this because of pressure from BCCI since IPL and aussie-pak clashes overlap. just my view...

CA should be ashamed about their commitment and participation to tour pakistan.I hope the icc punishes CA for not touring . They have dissapointed all Pakistani fans . The rest of the season is with the pentangular cup and possibly the ICL.

Well said Kamran. I was just hoping for something from you in this regard.

If Aussies are concerned about their own safety like any other human being, then they should be equally concerned when touring any South Asian country instead of just single out Pakistan. While doing that, Aussies should also refrain from driving their cars, crossing the road, lighting up the oven, playing with matches, flying etc etc.

I think PCB must be firm in their stance. Any touring team will be provided the best security but if they cancel out on the tour, Pakistan will also cancel any future tours to the refusing country WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTION. Let ICC deal with that. To h e l l with the neutral venues.

From now on, I will refuse to pay to watch any matches that features Australian team until they grow up. This is my stand on it.

Well, I am hearing the same thing over and over again.You say that Aussie cricketers are safe because the terrorists do target them but not because you can protect them.
What is the basis of your view that aussies wont be targeted particularly when their country is involved with war against talibans.

Also dont compare the bombings in England and India to those in Pakistan."500" or more people have not died there in an year and there certainly havent been declared emergency to stop violence.

These countries can say assure that they can protect other countries cricketers while the same cannot be said about Pakistan as they could not protect their ex-Prime minister even after an earlier failed attempt.

If Aussies do visit Pakistan there lives are entirely at the mercy of terrorists and their love for cricket.So i dont find any fault with Australians if they decide not to come.

But i hope they do come as I want to see Pakistan get thrashed by Aussies.

Thanks Kamran for excellent letter!
In pakistan never eggs are thrown on visiting teams during walk (AUS), never fights outside clubs (SA), never killings (WI), yes bomb blasts but it has happened during ashes (ENG) aswell.
Come aussies, we want to beat you & terrorists!

A few weeks ago ,as a pakistan fan i was hoping that the series might be called off mainly due to the potential embarassment Australia might inflict on Pakistan in the tests. However since India put up a good display, im no longer torn. I think the Aussies are scared because they know this Pakistan side could turn them over. They are no longer a great side Warne,McGrath and Gilchrist are gone the heart of the side has been ripped out. The replacements are good players but nowhere near the same class. come on Australia show some balls and tour Pakistan.

Indian's have been there and have come back twice safely. The teams produced good competitive cricket and have stolen the hearts of people. I am sure that if the Aussies go there with the intention of producing entertaining cricket no one will harm them. If the govt. of pak doesnt want them to get hurt, they wont. They atleast have control on Taliban to ensure that this cricket team is not troubled. They wouldnt have bothered much about political assassinations though. Aussies, show your heart and win the hearts of paki's. If the Indian's could do it, any one else can do it in PAK. I changed my view which was anti pak after Indian team toured there and enjoyed their hospitality and not hostility.

A point quite often missed is the very closed and almost sterile atmosphere that is posed before cricketers when they tour Pakistan in the name of security. Can anyone argue that Roger Federer will not be able to perform at his peak if he cannot wind down, after a hard day, except in the cloistered atmosphere of the hotel room. We are dealing with both human beings and athletes here.

CLR James once said that there cannot be normal cricket in an abnormal society. In Pakistan's current situation, which is very abnormal [ for the rest of the peace loving world], how can you play normal cricket for 2 months?

This expectation is bizarre, to say the least. And why should Pakistan at all care, if a country does not want to tour? Surely, there are more ominous problems to deal with?

I totally agree with you Kamran. Sports are a great way to promote harmony.Aussies may ask Mark Taylor who played a splendid knock in June 97 in Pehsawar. What does he say? People in Pakistan are starving for cricket and good competition.India toured Pakistan and received warm welcome here.South Africa toured Pakistan and played with no problems whatsoever.I would love to see Ponting coming to Pakistan and play in RawalPindi.
While wishing Pakistan to give them tough time on the cricket field.

Mr Hammad no offense but you are totally wrong in your approach. Bhutto's assassination was political not a terrorist act. Leave it out. Kamran raised excellent points, all making sense. Some of my Aussie friends down their also made some fair comments, but i couldnt agree more with suhaib and haseeb. Trust me i live in UK and the security here is so crap that bombings can happen any time. Go to their tube stations, people enter the stations with bags freely and there is no one checking them. So aussies think about security measures over their as well. Also India is equally bad as PAK in security, think twice going over there as well, but u wont because u got double standards. I have high respect for aussies but they are simply acting like P*****s

Salman bhai, r u comparin the one single incident of london bombings to what happens in pak daily? even taking mumbai's name is out of context, since wht happens there too is a one-off incident. most of the other countries are IMO safer than Pak, at the moment. I went to london and the most threat to my safety there was walkin alone after 9 pm. i'm afraid i dont think i'll say the same about any place in pak.

Its understandable that well off senior sportsmen who have proved themselves world over do not have the motivation to go on a run of the mill overseas tour where there is perhaps a 1% terrorist incident affecting them (like bomb in Karachi back in 2002)

But why can't the Aussies just send a reserve side - their A tour members would surely jump at the chance to enhance their credentials and for the lucrative ACB central contracts?

It would also make for a closer and more exciting series.

if the aussies are such cowards that they do not wish to tour pakistan then pakistan should be awarded a series white wash! aussies never like going to sub continent any excuse will do

Do not expect australians to tour pakistan, because more money they are to get from IPL is tempting them. When They have an ICC schedule to tour pakistan, the australian players are fighting with CA to lift the barriers that could prevent them from participating in IPL. This is what they are. Double Standards. They spoke about the rich board bullying after the cancellation of the ban on Bhajji. But now they want checques from BCCI plaing in IPL. Again Double standards.

Do not expect australians to tour pakistan, because more money they are to get from IPL is tempting them. When They have an ICC schedule to tour pakistan, the australian players are fighting with CA to lift the barriers that could prevent them from participating in IPL. This is what they are. Double Standards. They spoke about the rich board bullying after the cancellation of the ban on Bhajji. But now they want checques from BCCI playing in IPL. Again Double standards.

I was thinking, its about time for Kamran Abbassi to write something on this issue and, it must be a telepathic message for him from his bloggers that he created this thread in the shape of a letter to the Australians. Its not only good but, it covers almost every aspect to stir the conscience of the Aussies. Yet there are a few things which are politically incorrect for Kamran to mention it but, for the bloggers its fine to air and express our views more openly. Therefore, I am adding a few more of the reasons which may have prevented the Australians from canceling this tour. The western teams especially England, Australia, NZ (not so western in geographical terms) and South Africa (not far from where Zimbabwe is) have always tried to find one reason or the other to complain about their tours and, that is mainly because of the fact that, for them the lifestyle in Pakistan is not the same as it is in their country or even like India's. For them they miss the bars, the clubs, the discotheques, the night life and the freedom of movement. Earlier, on their trips to the sub-continent they used to complain about the food and water and used to bring their own MRE's, drinks and even a micro-wave ovens i.e., when the microwaves were not so common in the sub-continent. They were happy in India because, from their point of view it was more open atmosphere and after the games they had parties, live entertainment and co-mingling with the film actresses and the extras. But, they couldn't do any such thing in Pakistan for obvious reasons, so life is pretty dull and boring for them. Even though they were able to swim in the swimming pools of the 5 star hotels of Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, but the view or the landscape was different for them because there aren't any bikinis or cocktails. So, apart from cricket they were more interested in the paraphernalia or the "lavazmaat" that are associated with their lifestyle thats missing, but they could never admit it openly, hence their tours to Pakistan were pretty bland outside the cricket grounds. What can they do in the evening after playing a test match in a city like Multan or Faislabad? They raised security concerns and when they were provided with the VIP security, they complained about that too, by saying that 'our boys feel very uncomfortable with so many guards around in the hotel lobby and on the ground.' So, imo, this is a disease that cannot be cured. The name of this disease is a four letter word called "love." They cannot call it "hate" because, that would be racism.. To sum up in Urdu with a poetic verse, " Ishq jab hudd say guzar jai tou beemaari hai, aur agar hudd say na guzray tou adakaari hai. So, this romantic love affair will continue in the shape of bad acting, yet they expect an Oscar!

Mark of terrorism is just a facade to participate in the the official indian league! If OZs dont come they would let down the spirit of sports loving nation over MONEY! Where is indian league held? i heard in india. Do you have any idea how many people die in india everday (solely cz of terrorism?).
Being some one who has lived both in Pakistan and Australia, The decision to not to visit Pakistan will really hurt me along with all Pakis and Ausies.

@Hammad
For hammad, From the name you look like a muslim So kindly me, you and everyone as a muslim believe that no body can avoid death . No matter you are in Pakistan or in any corner of the world.
So if somebody speically a Pakistani is afraid to go to home country then dont go there, because death will follow all of us where ever we are in any corner of the World.

Apart from everything pakistan is not in state of war in civilian areas. So i am more than happy to visit Pakistan everytime i get a chance. My Parents,Family, My relatives, My brothers & sisters live over there. Some Day i wil be going there for their benfits instead of calling only my family here and live as a imposter here.
Ausiz is may be more intrested in playing IPL than in pakistan because in the end what matter's is money

the aussie army is in afghanistan. surely if they were able to go to war with a nation that was innocent and destroy it, cant they play cricket too????

Well said Kamran bhai. As an Indian myself, I could not agree with you more. Aussies but a strong, tough face on field but the have no clue what being tough means. They are a team of weaklings who don't want to come out and test themselves in tough Pakistani conditions so they are using "safety" as an excuse to bail out.

Please Kamran, write something about Shoaib Akhtar. He is consistently being picked by the dictatorial PCB. He got a clash with Asif, which was blown out of proportion as dressing room incidents happen all over the world in all sports. He got a huge fine for it as well as a 13-match ban. Everybody who is punished is a free man afterwards, but not Shoaib. He was demoted to a retainership. A punishment above another punishment. As a sportsman you are hurt when you are not playing or being demoted in any situation, like Danish. There should be room for sportsman crying their heart out if not selected, or in this case not being given a central contract. Here in Holland where I am from, coaches say about disappointed criticising players who are not selected that they would find it rather strange if they were not hurt and disappointed. PCB has become a true dictatorship or as Bush would say : " Either you are with me or against me "

As a young Australian who has travelled alone in the same Indonesian towns apparently regarded by our government as terrorist warrens, I cannot agree more. The Australian team will have plenty of security; even if there were threats to tourists, the national cricketers would be better protected than international diplomats and journalists. They should tour, just to give the Pakistani team the chance to beat them!

But one thing, Mr Abbasi! Please don't tar all Australians with the same brush. As a country we have a new leader, and we all hope the attitude of those in authority is changing. I hope that in the next couple of years, you will see that Australia is getting beyond its so called cultural imperialist stance. Thanks and Salaam.

the most detrmimental thing is the media attack on pakistan as a country of terrorists,etc.They fail to acknowledge that most muslims in pakistan are against the takfeeri terrorist ideology and they are genuine cricket fans.the Australians should increase security to a level they are comfortable with.Not all places in pakistan are unsafe the vast majority of the area is very safe.I would say that touring countries like SA,England,Australia are more dangerous since they have a history of racism (aborigines).The aborgines were slaughtered and oppressed by the Australians.

Double, triple or whatever standards, if a player does not want to go to a particular place because he considers it as a risk, he should have a right to do so. After all, they are only sportsmen and not soldiers going to war.

Let me ask Kamran, would you be willing to play cricket in Afghanistan or Iraq now? You may say it is absurd to compare the situation in Pakistan with those but thats your perception right? Likewise, everyone has their own and where it concerns one's personal safety there is no argument.

India have been to Pakistan twice in the last five years, playing out two full tours without any discrepancies.
The main obstacle preventing this exciting contest is IPL, not player security.

I don't understand, if predominantly white South Africans can visit Pakistan, if Indians can come and before that English team has also visited and went back with good memories of hospitality of Pakistani people, why Ausses are doing this ? is it that they think they can conveniently walk away get some rest in a test schedule during which they will be playing 22 tests in 12 months ? I think thats very unfortunate.

Well ! Well! This is just another way of letting terrorist know that there terror is working in Pakistan.

Dear Australians- When you mention "risk". Please define...

My Dear fellow Pakistani- What a shame for us that Australia is willing to deny the tour.

Goes to show how the country is view as...

Hope it goes through, i cant wait for some exciting cricket :P

I applaud Australians to take a stand and not tour Pakistan. Its not about double standard, its about trust, Australians stayed in England even after July 7 bombings, because they trusted the British officials. Meanwhile Pakistani officials could not save their ex-PM.

Also having a country run by tyrant dictator (Musharraf) is enough reason not to visit. Just like Zimbabwe has been boycotted for years because of dictator Mugabe, Pakistan should be as well till Musharraf is there.

Dear Kamran,
Wonderful comments. I think Pakistan should be backed up because it is a frontline state against war on terror. However, if each of the allies run away the moment they sense a small danger, than that is pretty ridiculous.
Zimbabwe (another international team), visited us recently The life of each and every player in Zimbabwe team is as important as Australians. We protected them well, and we are sure we can protect Aussies as well (if their is any danger that is).
Most people who know the ground realities would agree that the so-called terrorists in pakistan are fighting against the establishment for the wrongdoings, and have not harmed any cricketer of the world.
Pakistanis should be allowed to witness the battle between an emerging Pakistan team and the world champions.

Kamran,as per usual you cannot hide your true feelings toward Australians. Surely you cannot seriously believe you are going to inspire the Aussie cricketers to ignore the risks when you use such kind words to invite them over. Warm-hearted welcoming friendly gestures like "smacks of cultural imperialism" and "you wallow in the splendour of your rich world lifestyles". Yes that should make the Aussies feel comfortable and relaxed about heading over. Personally, I would be very sad if the Aussies decide not to tour because I, like you, think that the real risks are low and I,like you, believe that it would be a good thing for Pakistan in its present troubled situation. Unfortunately, all your poisonous pen does is make it more likely that some misguided soul will be inspired to make plans to take the Aussies out. Your obvious anti-Western brand of populist nationalism has no place in a Cricket blog. That Cricinfo allows you to continue to spew such vitriol brings them no credit at all.

kamran, i agree with ur basic point - that australia shoudnt call of the tour due to security concerns, but i dont agree with ur arguments.
swim with sharks? cmon kamran, how many do u think do that from the team? and the assassination of benazir has no significance? the significance is that it contributes to an image of unsafe, dangerous territory, and a very strong image at that. and do u really fail to understand the risks the aussies feel they will be exposed to? not i dont say that their fears are valid, but surely u wud understand exactly what their fear is.
the arguments in favor of touring are that the security that pakistan provides to touring teams is extremely efficient, that no other teams have experienced any discomfort, that australia have a chance to stand up and be counted as ambassadors for their country in a part of the world where they are much misunderstood and grudgingly admired.

I don't understand, if predominantly white South Africans can visit Pakistan, if Indians can come and before that English team has also visited and went back with good memories of hospitality of Pakistani people, why Ausses are doing this ? is it that they think they can conveniently walk away get some rest in a test schedule during which they will be playing 22 tests in 12 months ? I think thats very unfortunate.

Looks like the Australians desire to play in the ICL is outweighing their desire to honor their commitment to Pakistan. If terrorists wanted to harm them, they can do it anywhere in the world. The Australians would be respected more for their decision if they wanted to reschedule the tour so as to allow them to participate in the ICL.

I can fully understand the position taken by Australian board. There is no credibility to the claim that the government can protect the players. They havent been able to protect Benazir inspite of knowing fully well that she is an obvious target. Even the Ambassador to Afghanistan has been kidnapped in the last few days. To crazed idiots searching for the next high profile target, why should the Aussies willingly present themselves as a target. They are cricketers out to play a sport, not to put their lives at risk. To compare with Mumbai or London is ridiculous. First of all bombs dont go off with the same frequency as Karachi, and secondly the cricketers are not high profile targets. To say the people of Pakistan are warm and kind is hardly relevant, its the people who can cause harm and damage who are relevant.

Kamran it’s quite obvious why Aussies are willing to cancel this tour. It’s simply because they want to play in IPL (which starts about the same time as this tour) and make all the big bucks. If Ponting & Symonds can publicly point fingers at their own cricket board for not resolving the Cricket Australia’s sponsoring agreement in order to allow the players to play in this league then I don’t think they would think twice about cancelling the tour to Pakistan. Security is just an excuse period.

I am afraid IPL/ICL is going to ruin international cricket and effects of this league are starting to emerge already. Some very experienced players are retiring early while others are overlooking their national duties to play in this league and make some quick bucks.

Kamran,
Much as I would like to sympathise with your view, the reality is that the no top international sportsman wants to go to Pakistan. Your case was hopeless after the FIH moved the Champions Trophy Hockey Tournament from Pakistan to Malaysia on security grounds. If Pakistan is not deemed safe for one major sport, why should it be safe for another. There cannot be one rule for hockey and its players and another for cricket and cricketers. As far as I can remember, when the FIH made the decision, there wasnt even a choo of protest from you or from other Pakistani journalists that a precedent was being set which could be followed by other sports like cricket. So accept the fact that sport in Pakistan is the unfortunate casualty of the political situation. All international sportspersons have a freedom of choice as to where they want to play and where they dont. Pakistan at the moment is firmly in the dont list.

The Aussies will be doing Pakistan a huge favour by not touring. The country's image is already a shambles, and any incident will leave it further humiliated. Both The Economist and Newsweek have had cover stories labelling Pakistan as the World's Most Dangerous place. It would utterly senseless for them to tour Pakistan where they would make easy prey for any wannabe terrorist to score a self-perceived PR coup.

I just don't get it...why continue with the tour of England when Bombs Exploded there; be on the same soil (Sri Lanka and India) where terrorist attacks were happening. But when it comes to touring Pakistan, all these issues become primary and cricket becomes secondary?

Aussie players are known to display 'Macho-ism' and the so-called 'Manly' behavior on the pitch and yet they are being the biggest sissies in my eyes, when it comes to the tour of Pakistan!

Yes, their life could be at risk if they tour Pakistan but how is it any different from touring India, Sri Lanka, any part of the world?

Here is how we feel: http://blogs.cricinfo.com/pakspin/archives/2008/02/a_letter_to_australians.php#more

Well I do not agree with all of the above.Australians are not touring Pakistan because they want to take part in IPL and this is only their a veru very lame excuse that there are unsafe there.If they fear "terrorists" then it means terrorists have won.And if they have won then why Australian army is in Afghanistan.They are ther to defeat terrorists but their country men(australian team) are providing an example against it.I live in Lahore and I am as safe in Lahore as Ricky is in Hobart.If they say our ex PM was murdered then I want to tell them that she was murdered by Government itself.If Australians do not come ,Pakistanis should not tour Australia.If Pakistanis go ahead with tour, they are BIG BIG TRAITORS AND HAVE NO SELF RESPECT FOR THEM AND THEIR COUNTRY.
Wassalam
Nazam Hussain Shah

I cannot agree more than the comments.You should understand why they do not want to come Pakistan.If Pakistan can't save its ex-PM. It is not capable of saving Australian team either.At first you should make your country safe & democratic then play cricket.Your country image is not good in world arena. It is true.

These guys should not tour Pakistan,its one of the most unsafe place to go after probably Afghanistan and some african countries.I am from Pakistan,I am not safe walking down the street sometimes.Well we cut what we sow, its a lesson for us that what we have practised in other countries in the past is repeated on us. I would never advise Australians to tour, its unsafe. Nothing is more important than someones life, which unfortuntely has very less value at the moment in Pakistan.

i am an Australian, and do believe the team should tour, but many of the people here seem to have missed some vital points. It is not the Australian cricketers who are threatening not to tour, it is Cricket Australia. The players will tour if the board deems it safe.
Also, it is not the fear of a random terrorist attack in pakistan that is worrying them, it is the political tension. From what we in Australia have been led to believe there is increasing tension in the lead up to the elections, CA fears a situation such as the one that occured in Kenya- if one side rejects the result and violence breaks out in the streets.
Terrorisim is not the major fear, right now there are people on trial for plotting to bomb a sporting events such as cricket and football matches in australia. Australia will tour if CA and its advisors, including the government ect. deems the political situation in Pakistan to be stable.

I want to bring another point of view ... I agree that they are afraid to visit Pakistan ... but not for thier lives ... they just don't want to bowl on Pakistani pitches or bat when a Shoiab Akhter is bowling.

I think they are scared of loosing the the series to Pakistan and denting their winning record.

A team unwilling to play outside their comfort zones are inherently a week team.

It’s a wonderful letter indeed Kamran.

Aussies fear is nothing but white man’s prejudices. After BB’s death the consensus in the West was there would be uncontrolled never ending carnage in a “lawless” country like Pakistan. There was nothing of that sort. Basically, masses are fed up shedding their blood for politicians and rulers who are not only corrupt but use people as pawns to gain power.

Basically, as Salman mentions 4 major countries including arch rivals India have toured without incident. So, if presidential level security is being offered then all I can surmise is that Aus are not only looking for a good break from a hectic schedule but also are looking to earn some fast bucks in IPL tournament.

Hammad – “Pakistan” could have “saved its ex-PM” as it was not Pakistan that advised her to pop her head out from a safe vehicle. On the contrary Pakistan advised her to do away with rallies because of pre-announced threats from extremists. As you feel so scared to visit your homeland, hypochondriacs like you should stay away.

The individual Australians like Andrew Symonds should also have a right of same choice but Aus as a nation and a team need no fear.

I do like excellent unbiased views of Frank and Marcus. We need more of the same from Aussies.

Kamran,

I have always been a great fan of your blog but your latest post has left me disappointed. Your indignation at the "demonising" of Pakistan by the outside world seems to have expressed itself in sneering, generalized references to the Australians' love of "sharks" and "fast cars."

Of course the Aussies are not political targets. However, that is not the issue: the fact of the matter is that Pakistan - at the moment - is ubiquitously unstable and a bomb could go off anywhere, anytime. If one Australian cricketer were to die in a suicide attack - regardless of whether it was meant for him or not -, what would we say then? Religious men are not the only headache. For every bomb that explodes, there are a myriad of potential culprits, from faceless institutions to well-publicised individuals. There is no simply no telling who is behind what, and what will happen where. In such an environment, it should not surprise us if the Australians choose against coming,shame as it is

I dont really blame the aussies. Normally I would be very critical of teams not touring due to security threats but situation in pakistan is terrible. The Govt does not seem to have any control over its territory. That in itself is reason enough. Atleast govts in India, england have decent control over their land. Not the case in pakistan where every other day you hear a bombing in a major city. Its really sad but I dont blame them completely. They couldnt protect Benazir... No reason why they would protect the aussies.

I also wish Australia would tour Pakistan and Pakistan are right to refuse to play at neutral venues, Pakistan are a major Test nation and deserve the respect of playing series at home.
Having said that I hope I can explain to people from Pakistan why the Australians (I am one myself) fear touring there. It is not perceived as one ot two isolated blasts occuring. They seem to be regular and authorities powerless to stop them (a regular stream of attacks at the president, opponents, buildings, people). It is not too long since a state or martial law was declared. Until we see how the general elections affect things, I can understand their reticence to tour. Surely its sensible to wait and see until then, no more trouble, no blasts, then tour, no worries.
I hope Australia does tour and that you guys give Shahid Afridi a run in the Test team, he was just coming good, an underated bowler. Bat him at 8 with a licence to swing!

Marcus and Frank make some very valid points. My own view, on a less serious note, it that the Aussies are scared of playing in Pak coz they dont wanna lose a test series. 1998 was a fluke, a fantastic one. The records set by Waugh and Ponting for consecutive tests wins are missing away wins against Pak. SA recently did it but it would be a test of Aussie chr to come and play in Pak, and maybe they arent up to it. Prove me wrong CA!

Dear Kamran, as a dispassionate Indian who does not Pakistan-bash in any sense at all I would like to make one point. What do these cricketors play the game for - 1. because they love it and are highly skilled at it; and/or 2. they want to earn money or fame or both. Very few play it as ambassadors for their countries irrespective of what anyone says. Similar to you or me who do a job we like and earn a living. When you expect them suddenly to travel to a country which is in enough turmoil, it scares them - they have a wife/girlfriend and children and uplifting Pakistanis by playing cricket is not their aim or intention. For you and me its our land and we know that media shows things that it has to - but for a stranger it is scary. I would not condemn Australians for not visiting your shores as I would not condemn you if you had refused to report cricket from Mumbai during the Kargil war - you would have been safe if you had, but not assured.

it is obvious that the 'pristine', 'unbuyable'Aussies have been bought over by Indian money. As an Indian, i am only glad to see the "country-over-money" mask of Aussie cricketers removed and the greed exposed. Australian Cricketers, former and present, tend to gloat about their pride playing for the country, lack of greed etc. They used to pour scorn on Indian Cricketers for being 'greedy'. Now, it is clear that when money beckoned, they are trotting out some excuse and opting out of Pak tour. So, where did your pure heart go, mates?

I feel sorry for Pak - too bad you dont have riches to offer - if you can throw a few rupees, the aussies will come running

You talked about perception and it is 100% correct. The way world media projects the image of Pakistan is very disturbing. I live in Canada and being a Pakistani even when I hear and see the pictures in the news I get scared. I know that the reality is different and it is not all that unsafe in Pakistan. But think about the people in the west (or Aussies in this case) who have no real picture in front of them to compare. Our media is at fault of not counter projecting the positive image of Pakistan. We should learn lessons from India. There perhaps are equal or greater numbers of issues and terrorist activities going on there BUT there media projects a very positive image. That is why no one talks about any safety issues for a tour there.

My first reaction is, if Australia does not visit then Pak should invite another available team and discontinue cricketing ties with them until they visit. It sounds harsh but I guess the nation needs to take a stand here. Be proud Pakistani !

Spot On Mr. Abbassi, One thing i would like to suggest to the Pakistan Board and officials that we don't need to beg in front of Australian cricketers or board, if they visit Pakistan thats well & good, if they dont then we damn care! Australian cricket did this few years ago too, we agreed to play on neutral grounds and it turned out to be such a waste series. I think Australia and other countries need to change their mind set about Pakistan & Pakistanis because ground realities are pretty much different from what media is always portraying.
Politicians are not safe anywhere in the world are they? We have histories of high profile politicians being killed all over the world, that should not affect cricket or any other sport.
Can anyone imagine what would have happened if that egg thrown on Muralitharan in Australia was instead thrown on some Australian in an Asian country?
Mr Hammad, if you start believing that life & death is in command of God only, it might reduce you fears!

Well, if the the cordonsof security guards, could not save Ms. Bhutto, from the terror attacks, i wonder how the same security will save the australian team in case the terror groups decide to target them? And with regards to SA,their team decided to leave Sri Lanka, after a suicide attack in colombo, though the Indian team had decided to go ahead with the tour and the tri-series. So i wonder, what is wrong if the aussies have security concerns especially during the current situation in pakistan? And SA, visited pakistan in october before the imposition of the emergency and assasination of Ms. Bhutto. i wonder if they would have toured pakistan in its current situation. Please remember cricketers are also humans and have families, and they would surely feel for the secutity of themselves and their families, over the supposed "spirit of the game" of cricket. I wonder how many of us would travel to a place in strife in our own country, let alone a foreign country?

Another Aussie here.

It's unlikely you'll find anyone in the current team who has an articulate position on the situation in Pakistan.

The ascendency of the Australian cricket team has been matched by a refining of the machine, such that young cricketers in this country are now more insulated than ever. Think Ponting, think M.Clarke.

Australians aren't a political people. We have a strong sense of 'a fair go', but the situation in Pakistan is too complex for the average Australian to comprehend who exactly deserves a fair go.

Interestingly enough many apolitical Australians argued strongly for the team to go to Zimbabwe for 'the sake of the kids'. How does such naive thinking romanticise Pakistan? Unfortunately Pakistan has failed to capture the imagination of much of the world in the same way that say, India or Brazil have (countries of similar safety, charm and middle class growth) and for this reason it is unlikely that much public pressure will be applied . A shame for cricket!

It's first world hypocrisy, Kamran. When bombs went off In London, the Ashes weren't cancelled, were they? I personally think that the Aussies are just looking for an excuse so that they can play in the IPL and make money.

Come on Aussies... On field u look so much like bully of the neighborhood .. challenging, teasing, shouting, verbally ridiculing the opponents and pressurizing the umpires ... why do u behave like pansies out of field??
Why don't u just stay at home, wear a skirt, do your nails and cook food? This way i guarantee you will be safe from all the dangers of the world. I agree with Kamran - and i so don't agree with him usually when he writes - that if you think bombers of Karachi are more dangerous than bombers of London, Mumbai and Colombo, then you should let the braver Australians represent Australia - the country who fights against terrorism and not gets bossed around by it.

i've been to Pakistan so many times and yes it is true that if you see Pakistan through the eyes of CNN, BBC and FOX, terrorism , bomb blasts and political upheaval is all you'll see but, my dear world champions, Pakistan is much more than that. i challenge you to see it on your own and you'll see the difference!

Pakistan and emerging country?? Are you kidding man....a country that cannot protect its former Prime Minister confirms safety to visitors! First know the definition of an emerging country, a la emerging economy Mr.Abbasi.

It's first world hypocrisy, Kamran. When bombs went off In London, the Ashes weren't cancelled, were they? I personally think that the Aussies are just looking for an excuse so that they can play in the IPL and make money.

Im an Indian and I firmly believe that Australia must tour Pakistan. If SA and Zimbabwe have toured and faced no problem, what more do the Aussies want?

Also, it is quite hypocritical of them to say Pakistan is dangerous, when they were in London during the July 7th blasts. If that did not make them cancel the tour how is this more dangerous? How can they have one pattern of thinking when touring a western nation and another pattern when touring the sub-continent. Just goes to show that there is a inherent bias against the sub-continent.

To Hammad: If there should be any team at risk, it should be our deadly enemies the Indians. However when it comes to cricket, Indian crickets inhibit no such fears and see a big fan base in Pakistan.

If involvement in Afghanistan is an issue, then the English should be at risk, however they visited without any fear.

None of these two countries swims with sharks but know for sure the power of cricket, a game that ended apartheid in South Africa, brings war to a standstill during a match in Sri Lanka, etc.

Perhaps the Australians need to believe in the power of their national sport.

The Ozzies want to play in IPL.

Kamran, I think you got it wrong! "Security" is the issue here, not the security you think it is, it the financial security which they will get from playing for IPL for a few weeks than play a full tour in Pakistan. At least half of current Ozzy team including Ponting, Gilly, Clarke, Symmo, Hayden, Lee and few others would be signed up by various franchiesee for a very lucrative sums for a very short term assignments. Australia's tour to Pakistan is the first victim of IPL. I am not against IPL/ICL or T20, This is commercialization with a pinch of salt for you. From the players point of view but the fact is its life security v/s financial security, given a choice which one would you pick?

Couldn't agree more, Aussies are letting the threat of terroist attacks on them come in between them and this lovely game we all love and cherish. I also think that due to the fact that the Indian Premier League is starting in April, that is what the Aussies have lined up, rather than being locked in to their hotel rooms after every day's play.

Hammad, you make sense. The 'fact' that terrorists like cricket can't counteract the fact that if one decides he/she doesn't, the Pakistani security people will be unable to prevent a tragedy. Especially with international, high-profile targets. Especially with Australia a stated target of Al Qaida (who no-one will deny prosper on the ineffectiveness of Pakistani security). Kamal, you are a cricket commentator, not an international affairs correspondent. What you think doesn't really matter in this case...what matters is the security information provided by expert security analysts (Aus and Pakistani) to the Australian officials.

Go Aussies GO ...SHow us the spirit of cricket ....u can earn money lots of it later wid IPL, ICL ....but for us cricket starved nation ...dont deprive us of cricket......be brave...its nothin wrong in Pakistan for u guys ....from mullahs to moderates....we al wnt cricket action...Cmon AUssies....we r waitin for u mate..

Indeed we (Australians -- players and board) are displaying some contemptible double standards regarding this issue. South Africa toured Pakistan recently without a hitch and a political killing, unfortunate though it was, changes the situation for a touring team only negligibly.

With the situation as it is currently I (an Australian living in the UK) have no doubt that the Australian team should tour Pakistan as planned.

I'm sure Kamran would argue that the Olympics should be held in Pakistan even as the country burns. Its not just about the Bhutto killing; its about the election-time tensions, inter-party riots, uncertainty about results and what the military will do. The war against Taliban is being openly fought in the NWFP, (notice how no one argues about not playing in Peshawar). And Pakistan's problems have existed since summer of '07. Its not an aberration, nor is a country under military rule, under attack from organized terrorists and warring politicians the best place to do anything. Kamran - use your persuasive skills to bring peace to Pakistan. Then lecture the Australians on what is right and wrong.

It is human nature to lean towards reports you get regardless of where they are coming from. For this very reason Somalia is considered 'most dangerous' and Afghanistan is 'unvisitable' although as my Afghani and Somali friends tell me - 'reality is different'.

Just as an alcoholic first needs to accept his condition before being able to remedy it, so too do we in Pakistan need to look at ourselves long and hard, and realize that our unique mix of illiteracy, intolerance, religous extremism, ethnicism, violence, and corruption have conspired to create a virtual living hell on earth. The facts abound around us. Fewer than 5000 tourists visited Pakistan last year (compared to 16 million in Thailand). More suicide bombings than any other country spare Iraq. Touring teams do not want to come because the security situation (or lack of) means they are shuttered up in hotels for most of the tour. In India, players can bring their families, are free to tour cultural sites, visit Bollywood sets, or go to nightclubs, or whatever else. On the other hand, why would anyone want to come to our self created Islamic Utopia (not) where culture, film, and entertainment are despised and violence glorified. The players would rather go to IPL. Why blame them?

Hi all the Pakistani fellas, do not cry too much over Aussies tour. Your politicians & military mens are supporting the terrorism in the world. your weapons kill a lot of innocent people in the world. Now starts biting your own leg. Aussies should not go there forever.First tell your people to stop killing each other. stop promoting terrorism all over the world. Most of players already joint Indian rebel league ICl. Have you still got somebody to play against Australia? Ok, If we sent our team to Pakistan can you protect them from your stupid blood thirst religious terrorist? Your terrorist are famous for their stand against other realigions.specialy against Hindus & christians. If you want to play against us come out & play in a neutral country.

I think most Australian crickters are thinking about IPL and if they tour Pakistan then they miss out on the $$ from IPL. End of the day its all about how much they can make. I think Pakistan was very safe pre-911 but now all of a sudden its not safe. May be it was a mistake to HELP during war on terror?

Excellent article; two ways of looking at it. One, the reality that Benazir Bhutto did get assasinated, so security is an issue. Second, this is CRICKET we are talking about, not a politicians rally (with all due respect to the bereaved). As as Indian, I understand the kind of passion we have for cricket and also remember the excellent hospitality displayed by Pakistan when we toured. For all the Aussie swagger, this team is behaving like a bunch of wusses. But also put yourself in the shoes of a player - do you play or do you sit and worry about getting bombed?? Well, all said and done, the personal opinions of the players also need to be accounted for...this does set a wrong precedence. Lets hope that the tour continues...

Bravo Kamran! Security seems like an excuse to me, I think it’s more of a matter of IPL involving a lot of “Green”. So much fuss is made in Australia about touring Indian team but they can’t wait to travel India and have fat pockets. Pak needs to send a strong message; they should cancel their 2009 tour of Australia and should not play Australia on neutral venues as well otherwise this will become a pattern. In the past they made a huge mistake by playing Australia in U.A.E. and they’re paying for it.
Some folks here are saying because Australia is involved in “war on terror” they might be targeted in Pakistan. Well, if you are afraid of the aftermath then why involve in the first place? Afzaal Khan you are spot on, when you say, “terrorism cannot deter us” its time to walk the talk, YOU PAUSSIES!

Kamran, I just want to expand a little further and a little more frankly than you have on the 'fear' of the Australian players. I believe it boils down to the fact that Pakistan is full of muslims and they see a potential terrorist in each and every person around them, whether they be their security guards, the police or the man in the street etc. No manner of assurance will allay this blind fear. This generic and global suspicion is simply a fact most muslims have to deal with in our daily interactions with the westerners. I think it is time we said enough is enough and simply responded by stating categorically that the return tour in 09 and and all future tours are dependent on the Australians visiting on schedule. Otherwise, these preposterous double standards will only perpetuate. Pakistan Cricket and its fans should no longer be allowed to be insulted this way because of fears which as you have rightly stated are based on demonising an entire nation.

The reason Australia is not touring Pakistan is because , Austrlia , UK and the US want to see an unstable Pakistan . It seems like just about a year ago a joint anti Pakstan campign was lauched by he likes of BCC , NY Times , CNN and the likes to create chaos at any cost withn Pakistan. Their beloved Musharraf was converted overnight into a tyrant. The deceased imbecile was converted into a champion of democracy.The emotional fools of Pakistan started getting pulled in different directions . Out came chaos ..which was the main objective of the external powers.Cynics woud say , the same people trumpettng instability are the cause of instability. Because just about a year back things were stable there.

Australia are scared of Pakistan in Pakistan.

Traditionally,Australian cricketers have never liked touring the asian sub-continent and always moan about the facilities and security.This time around,its the security fears that are being used as an excuse not to tour Pakistan.Players like Symonds, who had problems on the recent tour to India,always want the easy way out and would rather get paid twice- for cancellation of tour to Pakistan and also for participating in the IPL league.In my opinion the biggest culprit is the Australian Cricket Board who are putting the words into the mouths of their crickters-as the Board also wants an easy life and does not have to deal with managing a 'difficult' tour-unless it really has to!There would be an uproar if pakistan pulled out of a tour to Australia, even if it was on similar grounds.Australians, who last toured Pakistan 10 years ago, are setting a dangerous precedent by starving the Pakistani public of some potentially exciting and long awaited cricket!

Can soembody in Australia please tell me that when Pak tours Australia Can Autralia guarantee there will not be any terrorist event there, so in that case Pakistan can refuse to tour too right , since The Ex Australian PM always states that Asutrali is a target

This is a complex, delicate situation for anyone to be in. It is human nature to think "Jaan hai to Jahaan hai" and eschew risk to one's life.
On the other hand, as Salman has pointed out, Australia has shown double standards by not abandoning the England tour during the London attacks of 2005. Playing the matches in a neutral venue such as Sharjah or Abu Dhabi might be a better option in the current situation.

I agree with you Kamran i doubt there is any danger to the australians in Pakistan. there is nothing more to say then if INDIA can go to pakistan and back without a problem then what can possibly happen to Australia? and referring to the comments made by Hammad, its a shame that you call yourself Pakistani and have such an opinion

The thing is aussies are more aware of their situation than other cricketing countries in the sense they have worked very hard to be where they are in world cricket despite having a small population. In countries like Pakistan, people there dont understand that in Australia cricket is not just about winning or losing but playing tough till the last ball of the game. Pakistanis usually play for a win only rather than playing tough cricket. Look at how a bowler like Shaoib Akhtar is being treated by PCB. Except for Imran Khan or maybe Hafeez Kardar, Pakistani players have been treated very shabbily by PCB. So beofre pointing fingers at aussies, Pakistan should make sure to put its own house in order. As for Pakistan image, everyone knows about it. Aussie cricketers are normal people with families. So for the sake of Australian cricket please dont pressurize australia to tour Pakistan. Because aussies do care about their cricket.

As the Aussies have make up their mind to not travel to Pakistan than i believe PCB who have already threatened to not visit australia likewise should keep up on their word. We have seen that PCB talks alot but than backs off from its instance and never get support from other countries including its best buddy BCCI. PCB has always backed down and that is the reason other countries dont give a crap about PCB and its true. Even though people argue that BCCI has lot of money and they abuse it and whatnot but why wouldnt they? They would take advantage of it but the thing is Pakistan Board has always supported BCCI too no mater what and wags like a tail in front of them, I think i have more respect for BCCI than PCB because atleast they stand on their word. I think PCB should cancel the tour to Australia too otherwise its going to be same scenario like always , other countries would treat PCB as crap and PCB would always back down. Its time for Nasim Ashraf to be man and act like it !

Posted by: praveen at February 14, 2008 11:35 AM

Totally rubbish argument. Pakistan and India faught three major wars and some minor ones. When was the last time visiting Indian players, cricket or any other sport, were threatened in Pakistan.

Please, no more comments about Pakistan's inability to protect its ex-PM. JFK was shot in broad daylight on US soil! So, you will have to come up with more robust arguments than that!!

I am an indian and I must say there is no greater joy to see pakistan team in India when they come on a tour. You should see the way all the fans are jostling for space to get a glimpse of the players. This admiration for the players is returned by the citizens in Pakistan as well.
India and Pakistan maybe at a proxy war for over 50 years but that does not deter us the common people to mingle with each other. I think the political situation in Pakistan is in turmoil but then as Kamran said we have 160 Mil people still living their lives day in and day out. Sports plays a huge part in restoring a country's stature and I do believe that this high profile tour should go ahead unhindered. Australian team might be chasing $$$ in IPL but they will do cricket a great dis-service if they do not go to Pakistan. A great team is not defined by their exploits on the field but by their conduct outside the field as well and if they make this tour a success they will be respected all over the world.

Thank you for calling a spade a spade Mr. A. I was extremely heartened to read the comments from Frank and Marcus while dissapointed by my namesake Hammad who feels unsafe in Pakistan. You've obviously been visiting the wrong parts of the country bro.
As you correctly pointed out Mr. Abbasi, Pakistan is a developing nation with the usual growing pains. The fact is that there has never been a single instance of violence in Pakistan which was directed at Cricketers.
The simple fact of the matter is that money talks. The only reason the Australian cricketers are wimping out is due to the lure of the IPL. The question for them is 'should we play Tests in Pakistan and provide much needed entertainment to a cricket starved nation or make millions in India?'It's pretty clear that the "cha-ching" sounds of the cash register are stronger incentives than squaring off against another international side.
spineless, money hungry opportunists are some words that come to mind. Cowards in another.

India (Twice)
South Africa
England
Zimbabwe
Eeven Austrlia-A team
These are the teams already toured Pak and not a single misshap in the whole tour. AUSIs are such cry babies on the field and now we have seen their TRUE nature off the firld too.
That is just SAD for the game of cricket. I was reading in NEWS, Australian Gov have warned their citizens to not even tour CANADA hahaha. Thats such a shame on a nation who wants to participate in world politics and sports.

Additionally, I shall be visiting Pakistan at the end of this month. I was hoping to catch a game during my trip, but it does'nt look very likely since the Aussies have shown theyr as "yeller" as the kits they wear.

Australia is a country with no culture and no history of any significance. They get their news from state controlled television news that is hell-bent on justifying the war on terror and for that purpose it is exaggerating the situation in countries like Pakistan. No doubt Pakistan comes with its share of problems but which country doesn't? The assassination of Benazir Bhutto was a political act and such assassinations have previously taken place in other countries as well.
It is an insult to the Pakistani people if the Australians refuse to tour. I believe that the PCB chairman should in turn refuse to tour Australia (that would be the first reasonable thing that he would do in his tenure). I find it bemusing that the Australians consider it unsafe to tour Pakistan, even though they stayed in England when the London bombings took place. It is just double standards. Pakistan is as safe and as unsafe as every other country influenced by terrorism. I find it disgusting when people like Hammad say that they felt unsafe in Pakistan. I lived in Islam