Test cricket has recently returned to Pakistan after ten years and nine months since the infamous Lahore terror attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team’s bus that claimed the lives of six policemen including two civilians, while also leaving the reserve umpire and seven Sri Lanka players wounded.
Pakistan celebrated the return of Test cricket after more than a decade as they played two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in last December which was part of the ongoing World Test Championship, and Pakistan won the Test series by 1-0. Though cricket returned to Pakistan, hardly very few nations like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh toured the country, and other nations have not shown interest to tour Pakistan yet due to security reasons.
The BCCI official had earlier told that India have no problems with Pakistan hosting Asia Cup while also adding that India will only participate if the tournament is hosted in a neutral venue. Later, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani confirmed that Asia Cup would be hosted in a neutral venue.
Not playing in Pakistan for security reasons is unfair: Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali, a member of England’s World Cup-winning squad last year has claimed that it is an injustice not to play cricket in Pakistan for security reasons. Moeen Ali, who is well aware of what’s been happening in Pakistan, has highlighted that it is unfair to single out Pakistan on security grounds when no nation in the world is safe now.
Moeen Ali added that judging the two-time World Cup hosts’ security reputation is unfair since no place on the planet is safe considering the rising crime rates. The 32-year-old Moeen Ali, who is a player of Pakistani descent, is in Pakistan to play for Multan Sultans in the PSL.
Speaking exclusively to The Cricketer, he said: “I think it (Pakistan’s security reputation) is a little bit unfair because you’re not safe anywhere. It can be the wrong place, wrong time. Even in England now, the crime rate’s massive. I just feel the perception you have from the outside is it’s not safe to go.
My counter-argument is it’s not safe anywhere, really. Yes, there are some places you might feel a bit safer but the security has been really impressive. We had the same thing in Bangladesh a few years ago when some guys didn’t go. It was brilliant.”
Pakistan is currently hosting Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020, and it is for the first time that the tourney is being held entirely on its soil.