On the Front Foot: How England brought India and Pakistan together again

[SOSami]

Sunday 22 July 2012
Stephen Brenkley

England played a key role in the crucial resumption of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan. It was evident in two ways.

First, Giles Clarke, the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, acted as a conduit between officials of the two countries and advised Pakistan at every turn. Secondly, the necessary gap appeared in the schedules only because England's players insisted on splitting their tour of India and coming home for Christmas.

It took a high diplomacy to bring the two Asian cricketing juggernauts together after the schism caused by the terrorist attacks on Mumbai four years ago. Without the acquiescence of the Indian government it would not have happened, but Clarke's part was significant.

He helped to broker the deal by carefully calculating what Pakistan needed to do. Their chairman, Zaka Ashraf, is new to cricketing politics and needed steering through choppy waters.

Clarke has formed an unlikely alliance with the Asian bloc in learning to traverse the corridors of cricketing power. His relationship with Indian board secretary N Srinivasan undoubtedly helped, and who knows where it might lead for Clarke in time.

It is as well he sees the wider picture. He was deeply hurt after the Pakistan match-rigging shenanigans in England two years ago after he had done much to ensure their playing neutral Tests here.

England's players cannot have known what a significant part their demands played in helping to heal wounds. If England's tour had proceeded as India originally wanted there would have been no break and no time in the programme.

Cricket would have continued to suffer from the lack of co-operation between India and Pakistan, which has commercial effects well beyond their own boundaries. But England's desire for hearth and home provided the fortnight essential for three one-day matches. It also means that India will have their eye in by the time England return.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/on-the-front-foot-how-england-brought-india-and-pakistan-together-again-7964160.html

Interesting insight.

[Wristy_Shuffler]

Wow. Serious respect for Clarke.

[Namak_Halaal]

I love the irony.

Fantastic read.

This makes me wonder whether we will be seeing Pakistan play their home series in England in the future.

I hope so.

[Shayan]

Clarke gets a lot of stick from Pakistanis for his attitude towards Amir at the presentation of the spot fixing test, but in all honesty, he's assisted Pakistan a great deal and deserves a lot of credit.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I love the irony.

Fantastic read.

This makes me wonder whether we will be seeing Pakistan play their home series in England in the future.

I hope so.

I hope not. Clarke is well meaning but Pakistan as a nation aren't welcome in England and for those of us who live here and are associated with them can do without more embarrassing headlines.

[SOSami]

The ECB have been a friend to Pakistani cricket, particularly in recent times.

Giles Clarke and the CEO David Collier are good guys - if it was another cricket board we would have heard their roles in helping the PCB directly from their own mouths. Classy individuals both of them (as is Strauss by the way).

And before anyone mentions the ECB's relationship with and Allen Stanford, Giles Clarke and the ECB have admitted it was embarrassing and a significant misjudgement. Every board is allow the odd mistake.

[AdidasBeard]

I hope not. Clarke is well meaning but Pakistan as a nation aren't welcome in England and for those of us who live here and are associated with them can do without more embarrassing headlines.

Says who? I would love to see Pakistan play here particularly against India. I think a few grounds around the country would like to host those games too

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The ECB have been a friend to Pakistani cricket, particularly in recent times.

Giles Clarke and the CEO David Collier are good guys - if it was another cricket board we would have heard their roles in helping the PCB directly from their own mouths. Classy individuals both of them (as is Strauss by the way).

And before anyone mentions the ECB's relationship with and Allen Stanford, Giles Clarke and the ECB have admitted it was embarrassing and a significant misjudgement. Every board is allow the odd mistake.

My doubts aren't about the ECB, they are about Pakistan as a team and the officials who accompany them. You just have to look at the lurid headlines about the Olympic passport scandal screaming TERRORISTS to see what could be round the corner. No thanks, if that's cricket then we can do without it.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Says who? I would love to see Pakistan play here particularly against India. I think a few grounds around the country would like to host those games too

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/olympics/4444496/Olympic-Games-terror-visas-racket-exposed-by-The-Sun.html

There you go mate, you can expect plenty more where that came from if England host Pakistan games.

[SOSami]

My doubts aren't about the ECB, they are about Pakistan as a team and the officials who accompany them. You just have to look at the lurid headlines about the Olympic passport scandal screaming TERRORISTS to see what could be round the corner. No thanks, if that's cricket then we can do without it.
Yea, it's a question the PCB should certainly ask themselves if the offer is made: Is it worth the risk?

The Pakistani players are not savvy enough to avoid controversies in England and the tabloids would certainly be looking to strike again, albeit not at the level of spot-fixing. Even if they do they may well concoct damaging stories.

[SOSami]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/olympics/4444496/Olympic-Games-terror-visas-racket-exposed-by-The-Sun.html

There you go mate, you can expect plenty more where that came from if England host Pakistan games.
That report seems fair enough though surely?

Obviously we have to wait for the facts, but it deserves reporting.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Yea, it's a question the PCB should certainly ask themselves if the offer is made: Is it worth the risk?

The Pakistani players are not savvy enough to avoid controversies in England and the tabloids would certainly be looking to strike again, albeit not at the level of spot-fixing. Even if they do they may well concoct damaging stories.

That's it basically. It's not that we don't want to see Pakistan playing cricket but until there is some stability and trust evolved it's not going to be an enjoyable experience for either side, desperate though some Pakistan fans are to see the team here. It seems a lifetime ago where we used to see big Pakistan crowds in England and the occasion was seen as a celebration.

[Cpt. Rishwat]

That report seems fair enough though surely?

Obviously we have to wait for the facts, but it deserves reporting.

My point was that Pakistan officials are hardly seen as trustworthy and the story hasn't just been reported, it's been turned into a story about terrorist threat when in fact it's just some sleazy Pak officials getting a backhander.

The potential would be just the same for the cricket team so if we are relying on our officials to be clean and above board...I would rather not thanks.

[SOSami]

My point was that Pakistan officials are hardly seen as trustworthy and the story hasn't just been reported, it's been turned into a story about terrorist threat when in fact it's just some sleazy Pak officials getting a backhander.

The potential would be just the same for the cricket team so if we are relying on our officials to be clean and above board...I would rather not thanks.
Agreed.

Can't trust the guys in charge of the players. The Coaches are ok of course, but the entourage of administrators who would travel with them doesn't fill me with confidence either.

[AdidasBeard]

Is that story in the Sun concocted or not, I have no idea and quite frankly am not that interested. The cricket team gives the country the chance for people to see a different side to Pakistani culture that is different from the usual stuff peddled by the papers. Maybe I'm just an optimist though

[SOSami]

Is that story in the Sun concocted or not, I have no idea and quite frankly am not that interested. The cricket team gives the country the chance for people to see a different side to Pakistani culture that is different from the usual stuff peddled by the papers. Maybe I'm just an optimist though
In an ideal world certainly. But the reports from the papers would be suffocating I reckon.

Saddest thing was that Amir could have been the face of young, vibrant Pakistani culture - the different side that you referred to.

[Lethalweapon]

Interesting.
I did say sometime back: It seems a triseries between Ind-Pak-Eng has NEVER happened even in Sharjah. I wonder what the reason for that is.

[munda_khi]

by the way who is this 'leading Lahore politician Abid Chodhary'. never heard about him before. anybody has any info.

[Namak_Halaal]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/olympics/4444496/Olympic-Games-terror-visas-racket-exposed-by-The-Sun.html

There you go mate, you can expect plenty more where that came from if England host Pakistan games.

The Current Bun?

Seriously dude?

The good thing is Cricket is a Gentlemen’s game, and gentlemen do not read the Sun.

[doctordamor]

by the way who is this 'leading Lahore politician Abid Chodhary'. never heard about him before. anybody has any info.

no one knows who is this leading politician everyone in pak asking checking assembly roll and still unable to find him :p

[doctordamor]

I hope not. Clarke is well meaning but Pakistan as a nation aren't welcome in England and for those of us who live here and are associated with them can do without more embarrassing headlines.

1st of all are u Pakistani? I mean are u pakistani by citizenship or by birth or are u british which has pakistani roots? Cuz if u r later u shouldn't be embarrassed cuz may be ur parents are but ur no way associated with Pak as ur born british.

If you are pakistani living in UK they u should end ur embarrassment by either start introducing urself as indian or just not watch pakistani team or do nething with Pakistan.

yet ur on pakistani forum and commenting that my freind is hypocrisy and to be complete frank this holier then thou attitude i witness by many pakistani in pp forum is getting tiresome. Its not like we all are angels here

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The Current Bun?

Seriously dude?

The good thing is Cricket is a Gentlemen’s game, and gentlemen do not read the Sun.

Did we just do a time warp to 1905?

[Cpt. Rishwat]

1st of all are u Pakistani? I mean are u pakistani by citizenship or by birth or are u british which has pakistani roots? Cuz if u r later u shouldn't be embarrassed cuz may be ur parents are but ur no way associated with Pak as ur born british.

If you are pakistani living in UK they u should end ur embarrassment by either start introducing urself as indian or just not watch pakistani team or do nething with Pakistan.

yet ur on pakistani forum and commenting that my freind is hypocrisy and to be complete frank this holier then thou attitude i witness by many pakistani in pp forum is getting tiresome. Its not like we all are angels here


For one thing, I don't watch Pakistani cricket at the current time because I don't have any interest in watching a B team playing matches intermittently where the itinerary allows like refugees.

Secondly, like most people here I'm a UK Pakistani and unfortunately when the Pakistan team comes here and disgraces themselves then it does impact on us whether we like it or not. But don't blame us for their actions. It's not me who spent time in a UK jail while wearing the captain's armband of Pakistan.