HOCKEY GOING CRICKET WAY IN PAKISTAN

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Media Manager Shahzad Malik released a press note yesterday stating that the entire 18-man hockey squad that played in the World Cup at New Delhi has offered to resign after finishing 12th (last place) by losing to Canada in the 11th-12th place play-off.

That's the last thing Pakistan needs! Its cricket team (as well as the Board) is in disarray. And now problems in hockey as well... The two most popular sports in Pakistan are going through, arguably, their worst crisis for quite some time in history.

Pakistan, as a nation, is already suffering due to various reasons like poor governance and administration, presence of too many powerful extremist forces in the country, lack of security and many other problems. It is in times of such gloom that a sport can spark a change. It needs just one magical performance to lift an entire nation's mood. To make it forget about the daily miseries of life. To revel in that moment of pride and happiness.

It has the ability to ignite hope and belief in the darkest of spaces. And Pakistan, with all its problems in cricket and hockey, is being robbed off that chance of redressal. It's a pitiable situation and one feels sad to see the negative growth path that they are trodding on.

It's time that someone in Pakistan wakes up to the reality of the situation and sets the alarm bells so that the others may see it as well. The cricketers had their chance in Australia and the hockey team had it in India. Both the teams lost it, and ended up making the matters worse. Someone else now needs to grab the bull by the horns!

WEEK OF RECORDS

Three international cricket matches today... but the match that India was watching was the much-awaited India - Pakistan hockey encounter on the opening day of the World Cup. And happily for us, India beat Pakistan 4-1 to start its campaign off in a brilliant style.

But the brilliance of the day was reserved for Brendon McCullum. That's what I thought till I saw the score update of the West Indies - Zimbabwe Twenty20 match just now. Zimbabwe, batting first is 16 for 4 in 7 overs right now. Sulieman Benn has completed his spell of 4 - 2 - 6 - 4. That's right! Sulieman Benn bowled 2 maidens, conceded just 6 in the other 2 overs and took 4 wickets in his brilliant spell with the new ball. This is the 3rd best spell of bowling in an international Twenty20 match ever.

All this after Brendon McCullum's onslaught on Australia that saw him score just the 2nd century in a Twenty20 International and finish on 116. New Zealand went on to clinch a thriller in the One Over Eliminator, and I must say that Tim Southee was exceptional in that over. He conceded just 6 runs - that in a match where both the teams had already scored 214 in 20 overs. Phenomenal!

So what all have we witnessed in the past one week?

• Sachin Tendulkar scored the highest score in an ODI ever
• Brendon McCullum scored the 2nd highest score in a Twenty20 International ever
• Sulieman Benn bowled the 3rd best spell in a Twenty20 International ever

Are we now due for a Bangladesh win over England in the ODIs? Something's 'Cook'ing!

SECURITY ISSUES

Shane Warne is uncertain. The other Aussies are not really sure as well. The South Africans, West Indians and Sri Lankans seem to be ready. The Pakistanis have not been called. The English and the Kiwis are scared. That’s the status of IPL 2010. The security issues surrounding the Third Edition of the multi-million dollar tournament have resulted in complete chaos and confusion. No one can really be certain as to who is playing this year’s tournament and who isn’t.

The 26/11 attacks in Mumbai resulted in cancellation of Champions League 2008 and abandonment of 2 ODIs between India and England. The venues for the ensuing India – England Tests were also changed before the English team could be convinced to revisit India to complete their tour.

Fourteen and a half months later, a terror strike in Pune has suddenly put the country on a red alert once again. Security issues are cropping up again everywhere. Hockey teams are scared to visit India for the Hockey World Cup. A Kiwi striker has already pulled out of the tournament due to security concerns despite the fact that his team will be playing. Doubts are being raised about the Commonwealth Games 2010 to be held later this year in New Delhi. Australia and New Zealand have been nominated as back up venues in case the Cricket World Cup 2011 is forced to be shifted from the sub – continent.

And the terrorists are happy. Their objective of creating panic in a relatively stable world is bearing fruit for them. We are giving them the encouragement that they scarcely need by showing to them that they are affecting us. That they are forcing us to change our decisions. That they are getting into our heads.

Crossing a road carries the risk of being run over by a vehicle. Riding a bike or driving a car carries the risk of meeting with an accident. Plugging in your laptop charger carries the risk of suffering an electric shock. Does that mean that you are going to stop crossing a road or riding a bike or driving a car or charging your laptop? I live in Pune. But I am not going to stop living my normal life just because a terror attack occurred in my city. I am not going to stop visiting bakeries because they are considered ‘soft targets’ for terrorists. In my own small way, I am not going to let the terrorists gain any sense of achievement from their cowardly acts.

Sportsmen have a wider appeal. This is their big chance to show to the terrorists that they are not scared. That their methods are not going to work. But our beloved sportsmen are not ready to do so. I have heard the argument that it’s a matter of life and death. But on what basis are they saying that they have ‘security issues’?

Even in a normal environment, without such security issues, cricketers are provided with a big armed force team that takes care of their security. In the current environment, they have been promised an even bigger cover. And they say they have issues!

I walk into bakeries without any security personnel surrounding me. I don’t have such issues. Why do these sportsmen then feel that they will be specifically targeted? I know terrorist organisations have issued threats of disrupting the sporting events that are to be held in India. But that is their job – issuing threats. Osama Bin Laden has issued numerous threats to USA. Does that mean that the citizens of USA should live in eternal fear that their building will suddenly collapse due to a hijacked airplane crashing into it?

India has a clean track record when it comes to security at major sporting events. We have had crowd troubles in the past, but never has there been a case of a visiting team’s bus being caught amidst gunfire. We do not have bombs exploding virtually every day in some nook or corner of the country. Then why are these sportsmen scared?

The terrorists have attacked the world that we live in for a long time now. This is our chance to counterattack. A chance to show them that they cannot govern the way we want to live our lives. A chance to show them that their methods are not going to scare us into submission. A chance to live lives on our own terms!