The story of Terry and Pakistan

I’m reading a novel these days. It’s about two boys,brothers. I will talk to you about one. Terry.

Terry was an exceptional sportsman in his small town. Through his excellence he won the adoration of the whole community. Everyone loved him. Then something bad happened to him. He got in a scuffle, had a knife to his thigh and it destroyed him. No more cricket, no more football, no more nothing. It took away everything he ever lived for. He was made a cripple. Without actually being one.

To cut a long story short, Terry got into a life of crime and went to prison. A friend helped him get out after some time. When he came out, he blew up something which blinded the friend who helped him get out.

Things were never the same.

Terry is Pakistan in this story. Pakistan is great cricket nation which has produced GREAT cricketers. After getting in a bad way, it has destroyed the only friends they had.

I dont know what’ is going to happen to Terry- mostly cuz I haven’t finished the book.

And we dont know what will happen to Pakistan – because it is too soon.

What we do know is this. Just like in the story, people made sacrifices to help Pakistan. Yesterday it was people, men like you and me.  Laying down their lives to save people they probably dint even know that well. If at all.

For so long Cricket has danced an uncomfortable tango with terrorism. We knew it was there but we dint believe it could actually affect us. When Australia and the western world acted like pussies, I laughed at them. Today I am wrong and they have been proven right.

Cricket now owes the people who died for our ignorance. What we owe them is to make sure that Pakistan does not become some distant relative who we gradually lose touch with.

Pakistan must play cricket. As often as they can and wherever possible.

The Sri Lankans were hurt, but they are fine. It is Pakistan that need our attention.

There can be no inter-board politics at this point.

The boards and the officials need to make sure Pakistan get their up coming matches moved to some venue, any venue. Security risks must be addressed. Player demands met.

As for playing cricket again in Pakistan, that is not important. After all we cant have everything. Their people have taken a hit at the very core of their beliefs. Cricket was often ,a much loved, alternative to the hard lives they live. A safe place, a simple place where all that mattered was the contest between bat and ball. Before any team can go there, Pakistan needs to sort it self out. Which might be years or even decades.

I cant do anything to change the outcome of Terrys life. It is already written. Literally.

But there are certainly a lot of things the right people can do to shape Pakistans future as a cricket team and a brother in the cricket fraternity.

Otherwise, the lives that were lost would have been for nothing.

10 Comments

  1. Ishan said:

    brilliant post once again.. agree 100% to what you are saying

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  2. Kesh said:

    real nice post …. keep it up.

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  3. insideEdge said:

    Well Done Chris Broad.

    Brian Christopher Broad is not a man I’ve had too much regard for…I doubt anyone in SL does. However today I bow before him for he has done SL cricket and the game in general a great service.

    His outspoken comments have prevented PCB and Mr Big House of SL Cricket from sweeping the shameful security under the carpet. Irrespective of the good relations between the countries, Pak visiting here in 1996 and giving MBRL in 2000 some serious questions need to be asked. Now that Chris Broad has opened the can of worms I hope we find a man in this country with the backbone to ask the questions.

    The SL team was promised “Presidential Level” security. So if Pak lived up to the promise that means Mr. Asif Ali Zadari, President of Pak, goes around with 12 guards? Somehow I think not. Therefore clearly SL was not provided the promised security. It is not enough for Zadari and Gilani to apologise. Zadari needs to set up a commission to investigate this – before you get too excited Asif Ali this is not the type of commission that goes to a Swiss Bank Account.

    All SL fans need to remember two names from this incident:

    1) Hall of Shame
    Haji Habibur Rehman, Lahore Police Chief Idiot, who speaks of police dying “protecting the players”. He is acting as if the team bus getting shop up is fine because the cops died. Does this stupid fool not realize that protecting the players means making sure no one shoots at the bus. Haji needs to be demoted to probationary constable and sent on foot patrol in North West Frontier Province. He has let down Pakistan, SL team and his own policemen who died in the incident. I don’t blame the individual policemen involved in the convoy as they are no doubt poor men trying to earn a living by doing a job and were sent to their death by idiot commanders – rather like the SL Army in the 1990s.
    .
    I would like to suggest a new word for our dictionary:
    Haji Habibur
    Noun
    1) absolute and utter incompetence by an idiot

    e.g. Haji Habibur Dilhara Fernando, Haji Habibur Ranjith Fernando

    2) Hall of Fame
    Mehar Mohammad Khalil – bus driver who saved the SL team. If this guy hadn’t driven off while he was getting shot at there would have been carnage. This is the only man who did his job on the day and did so in circumstances over above the call of duty. The Pak PM has given the guy reward of Rs. 500,000. I really fear this guy will become a target for the terrorists. Maybe SL should invite him and his family to spend a few months here.

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  4. insideEdge said:

    “We salute Pakistani police and bus driver of Pakistan Cricket Board for showing unprecedented valor and saving the lives of Sri Lankan cricketers at the cost of their lives. The whole Sri Lankan nation was proud of them.”

    Rohitha Bogollagama, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister

    That comment really boggles the mind. Did dear old Boggles suffer a head injury recently?

    The whole Sri Lankan nation is “proud” of Pakistani police? Including Haji Habiburuwa? It has not yet been proven if the police died engaging the attackers to protect the players or were killed before the bus was shot up.

    Of course we are all proud of Mr. Mehar Mohammad Khalil.

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  5. insideEdge said:

    According to reports just emerging Mehar Mohammad Khalil, the hero bus driver in Lahore was also the pilot of US Airways plane that successfuly landed in Hudson River. At the time due to political pressure he was forced to adopt the name Chesley Sullenberger.

    To avoid publicity he returned to Lahore and became a part time bus driver to blend in to society. In the afternoons he instructed Pak captain Younus Khan on the best ways to bat against Murali and Mendis.

    Mr Khalil has revealed that SL Sports Minister Mr Big House phoned him this morning to offer him the job of bowling coach with the responsibility of eradicting the no ball problem of Dilhara Fernando and making him bowl straight. Mr Khalil said he was forced to turn this job down as the task was beyond the ability of any man even one who managed two miracles in such short a time.

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  6. insideEdge said:

    Dilhara Fernando was one of the few players who failed to be injured in the Lahore Terror Attack thereby continuing his unbrokentradition of failing to do anything in a SL shirt.

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  7. @ inside edge

    during media interviews, haji was atually chuckling for some reason as he recounted the incident

    @damith

    lovely post, and like th eplayers from your country have acted, hoborable, honest words. but when you say pakistan must sort itself out, you speak not only the truth but also something that doesn’t seem to be happening, esp seeing the reaction of our crazy people

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  8. damiths said:

    ishan & kesh> thanks

    inside> Chris Broad has really lent in hasnt he. I was surprised, well maybe I shouldnt have been, but the questions are now being asked and looking at the evidence available things are looking a big dodgy.

    All the late minute plans by the Pak team to go after our bus, when usually they travel together…

    Apparently there was someone who called the police and asked the bus route to be changed from its usual one. Which the police followed through on even without ascertaining the identity of the caller.

    These are chilling revelations .Coupled with the lack of security that was provided. Things start to look mighty fishy.

    Karachi Katmal> Thanks buddy. But looks like things might not be all that it seems. Which is worrying more for Pakistan than it is for us who are now safely back home. I wish your country all the best.

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  9. insideEdge said:

    damiths – regarding the Pak team bus delay I can see how someone at a low level involved in the plot delayed it. I assume that this also meant that the security escort was split.

    March 5, 2009
    Reply
  10. The Balls said:

    Damith

    We, an absent friend, realise this might sound silly, but the Balls just want to pass on our regards and best wishes during this pretty awful time.

    The weird thing about this is that events like this serve to really bring out the best in the cricketing community. Australia and Sri Lanka have had their moments on the pitch, but please rest assured that our thoughts and prayers are with all of Sri Lanka’s fans and players, as well as those in Pakistan.

    March 6, 2009
    Reply

Leave a Reply to insideEdge Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *