I’ll let you in on two secrets. I don’t do bucket lists. And I’ve never been to Pakistan – but I’d love to go.
I gather from friends who’ve been there that it’s a stunning country with magnificent scenery and really good food. Islamabad is apparently one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I also understand the people are wonderful hosts, very welcoming and hospitable.
These are all terrific reasons in my book to go over and watch Australia play Tests, ODIs and a T20 in country for the first time in 24 years.
Cricket Australia (CA) announced they wanted this tour to go ahead in March next year, and CEO Nick Hockley made it clear he wanted to play matches in various Pakistani cities. This is such a good move for a variety of reasons.
Australia needs to tour. The last time Australia toured anywhere other than England for the Ashes was in October 2018. Ironically it was a two-Test series against Pakistan, but it was in the UAE.
Granted, there’s been all manner of reasons and excuses offered for not touring since then, some of which are fair enough but some of which seem dubious. COVID and bubble fatigue have been the go-to reasons, though whether they’re reasonable is debatable.
(Photo by Michael Steele-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Australia also wants to claim top spot in the various rankings, but that’s a false claim if the different squads never leave the country. We have to show we’re capable of winning anywhere, something both India and New Zealand have achieved in recent times.
Australia needs to tour Pakistan. In effect Pakistan cricket has been punished because of an act of terrorism on the touring Sri Lankan team in 2009, with Australia and several other nations refusing to tour since. This seems a tad excessive, but this issue will be discussed at length a bit later.
We’ve happily invited Pakistan to tour Australia on six occasions in the past 24 years to keep the Cricket Australia coffers topped up. Surely it’s about time we gave something back to their board.
And don’t forget their fans, who are as passionate about cricket as any nation playing the game. Imagine 20-odd Australian summers without any international cricket. That’s what they’ve had to endure, and it’s time that situation was put right.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja predictably was making very positive noises about this tour, but I’m sure he must have his doubts on two fronts.
The first and less obvious is the IPL, which is due to start on 27 March. Presumably players who are picked up by franchises would need to be there a couple of weeks beforehand.
This could become a battle between players on Cricket Australia contracts – for example, Steve Smith, Dave Warner, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins et cetera – and the IPL. Clearly guys like Hazlewood will be in huge demand in the IPL, so CA will need to decide whether its international cricket obligations trump the opportunity for select players to make a few quid.
I don’t think there’s any way Australia can or should send a second-string squad on this tour. It’s fair enough to leave out injured players or maybe players wanting a break after a tough Australian summer, but allowing guys to play IPL instead of Test cricket is simply wrong.
The major issue for this tour will be the thought of some form of attack, and unfortunately this fear factor seems to have taken over the narrative when it comes to discussing tours. Sadly, though, this fear factor is not put into any real context.
The central reason cricket teams haven’t visited Pakistan has been the threat of terrorism, and in fairness that threat is still real – but it’s real in the UK too, where there have been 20 acts of terrorism since 2009, and the British government rates its threat level as substantial, meaning an attack is likely. Or consider alternatively the rate of gun violence in the United States – 600 mass shooting events took place in 2020 alone. India too is no stranger to violence.
But we’ll send our sportspeople to any of these nations without a second thought.
Nick Hockley is 100 per cent right when he says player safety has to be a priority, but he and the players need to work with the PCB to come up with ways to make this tour work. In other words, they should not take the easy option and pull the pin on the basis that they may receive a threat.
I’m sure terrorism threats are made in England and India regularly, but I’m also sure Cricket Australia and the Australian government have faith in the various security forces in those countries to keep our guys safe. We have to trust the Pakistan forces can do likewise.
They’ve managed to do it for overseas players in their T20 Super League competition. They’ve also hosted other cricketing nations in recent times, and their player safety was no different to ours.
The tour of Pakistan is critical to Australia and our credibility as a senior cricketing nation. Cricket Australia needs to send its best squad, which means players will have to miss the IPL if chosen – or play only those games scheduled once the tour is finished. It’s also a test of Nick Hockley’s credibility. He’s publicly backed this tour, so he needs to do everything he can to make it work.
If the tour can’t go ahead, it has to be completely clear why and the reason must be obvious and credible so there can be no blowback, especially after the recent cancellations by the Black Caps and England.
Just for once it would great if players and officials stopped running the fear line and actually embraced all the positives that come from touring a country like Pakistan. Perhaps if they did that, they’d find all manner of reasons to go there make this tour a success.
bazza200
Guest
On Afgan - it was to do with them not letting women play cricket. I think it's that simple. it's pretty basic requirement for a test nation.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
Without knowing your Polish friend, I can't imagine her being too thrilled at the idea of her country's capital being bombed to smithereens twice in five years, only to be rebuilt into a decently planned city as "lucky". That's like telling a person who is madly in love with their second spouse how lucky it was the first one died of cancer...
Simoc
Guest
The Black Caps and England woosed out of touring Pakistan because that was the easy option and if the Australian board is as feeble as those two meek cowardly Boards the Australian Board will cancel as well. CA cancelled Afghanistan's Australian tour this year as that was the weak, gutless and monetary viable choice, and I expect them to cancel the Pakistan tour because the quality of the people on the Board is poor.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Exiled in Sing
Guest
100% on HK. Certain cities are good to live in, and some are good for a visit. I would agree that Singapore is definitely not a great place to visit or have a holiday, but a great place to live. Conversely, Delhi is a great place to visit, not a great place to live. Dubai, dull as all bran on both counts. HK is one of the rare beauties that is both awesome to visit and to live in (so long as you have a place that can fit something larger than a baby's crib). I did a 9 month secondment in 2015. Awesome, awesome place. P.S I think the Singapore light show is a house that rhymes with hit, and Singapore slings....raffles ones are $34 glasses of glorified pineapple juice.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I'm sure Singapore is an easy place to live, just a bit "meh" to visit IMHO. I mean, good for a visit one time (the gardens and light show are super cool - one Singapore Sling is also enough), but subsequent visits has one booking airport transit hotels online, or simply getting the quickest flight connection. Hong Kong remains a favourite. Combination of geography/water/ cultural edginess (watch that space as it erodes in line with independent political thinking), good transport linkages and distinct neighbourhoods.
Exiled in Sing
Guest
@Jeff Just take the subway in Beijing these days. It's fantastic. Cheap, frequent and seriously comprehensive coverage these days. Inner Beijing in the winter is a rare beauty, particularly if snowing. And Singapore - yeah, you're not wrong. It's dull, and even more so with the annoying covid rules. But, super low taxes, the money is safe and stable, I have a helper and if you are raising kids here like I am, then it's ridiculously safe and you have access to world leading education & health care. Singapore's key selling point is the fact you are 2.5 hours from 1000 resorts. Once borders reopen it will get better. It's not designed to be a city you spend 52 weeks a year in.
Paul
Roar Guru
dry season in Bangkok is terrific - for the 3 or 4 days that it lasts :happy:
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I don't mind KL. Gritty, but efficient re getting around and neighbourhood pockets. Beijing - would love to get around there more, but finding a taxi that's prepared to be flagged down by a westerner...rare. Singapore...yeh, well. Wake me up when you're done.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Thanks Paul, "Imagine 20-odd Australian summers without any international cricket. That’s what they’ve had to endure, and it’s time that situation was put right." Amen to that. The security issue is a tricky one. As I understand it, England's recent withdrawal from touring Pakistan was because of general concerns about safety - and was widely panned as a result. NZ's withdrawal followed a specific threat. I'm not sure of the particulars, but it was obviously serious enough, and targeted enough, for them to take it very seriously. It would only take one nut - in Pakistan or, potentially, even here in Australia - with some kind of grudge against an Australian player to trigger a similar scenario.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Khawaja and Green. Seemingly justifying their positions in the top echelon of the likely players to be selected for the Ashes.
Clear as mud
Guest
I'm a geographer working in transport planning, so I'm also your man!
Clear as mud
Guest
It's 15 years ago now, but our time in Bangkok was dripping away unhappily. we were friends who liked to take cabs everywhere, partly to do with drinking. so we saw nothing of the city except from a car, and the inside of fabulous restaurants. then they went to Cambodia. and the Jan temp dropped to 26 and the humidity lifted for two days, i walked out of our hotel... and kept walking. like we do in Paris, Montreal, Madrid, Rome, New York.... Sydney... Melbourne Down to the river, along the river. caught a ferry. caught the metro. caught the skytrain. took photos. said hi to people. ate food from street vendors. patted dogs. looked in windows. found the quiet side streets. said hi to strangers. zoned out the traffic and went with the vibe... really loved THAT Bangkok
Clear as mud
Guest
It would almost make up for not picking him as captain in SA when he was the leading state captain and elder statesperson in the team. Great optics, too, a popular guy, Muslim etc. (I wouldn't have had him in the team at all, but if he's going to play, this former Australian U-19 Captain was surely a more sound choice than Tassie's 3rd choice keeper :silly: ?)
Clear as mud
Guest
no evidence of this what is more problematic is Ussie's interview this week where he said words to the effect if "I'm batting 4 for Queensland so it makes sense I bat in the middle order for Australia... I will bat wherever they pick me however". doesn't sound like a guy who really wants to open... and who hasn't opened for a long time. maybe a play to go Marnie, Warnie, Smithy, Ussie, Travie and Greenie?
Clear as mud
Guest
he did score. 0. in 1 ball. at least his strike rate was the equal highest ever for a duck.
Exiled in Sing
Guest
A Polish friend once said she thought Sydney was one of the worst designed cities she's ever seen. I responded that Sydney wasn't lucky enough like Warsaw to be levelled to the ground by both the Germans and the Russians in the space of 5 years, and then get to be rebuilt as a better traffic friendly version.
Exiled in Sing
Guest
I live in Sg, and before covid went to KL monthly. Used to live in Beijing as well. Singapore traffic flows freely not because of a lack of bikes, but because of a lack of cars + combined with an extremely intelligently designed road system + insane taxes on cars. Car ownership in Singapore is about 1 per every 8 people. Super low. When you have to drop $90k for a Toyota Yaris you aren't rushing to have multiple cars in a family setting. I reckon the worst traffic jam in Singapore would be "medium traffic congestion" in Sydney. KL's traffic is 5 times worse than Singapore, and that's because car ownership is so cheap everyone is on the roads. Beijing congestion is not about the bikes, it's pure and simple about the explosion in car ownership without a corresponding improvement in roads. In fact, Beijing was once quite wonderful to get around by car when it was more bike dominant. I miss the bikes! Bangkok is just a nightmare. But the very, very, very worst in Asia is Manila. My god that is horrific. It's unquestionably faster to walk during peak hour. Cars, buses, bikes, jeepneys, tuktuks, trucks....
Jeff
Roar Rookie
*snore* Frank.
Frank delosa
Guest
Watch Bancroft make a score here in the Shield and then be automatically picked as the opener with Warner Bill Williams. Another one of JL's boys.