I have pangs of pain in my heart as I see the Pakistan team departing for Abu Dhabi for a home series against South Africa. It may sound insensitive, but I think cricket has been one of the biggest casualties of the security situation in Pakistan.
Cricket is much more than a national passion for Pakistan. Its socio-cultural importance is huge. Pakistan was in the midst of despair when we won the T-20 World Cup and the impact on the national mood was amazing.
The fact that the country is again engulfed by gloom is exacerbated by the absence of any cricket whatsoever. The holding of the T-20 League in Lahore caused traffic jams around the city a testament to how cricket-starved this nation is.
I hope the PCB will do something and start taking actions for bringing some international cricket back to Pakistan. As things are going, the team of Djibouti is as welcome as that of Australia.
IMRAN WASEEM
Lahore