Should we be critical of international players for skipping the PSL playoffs in Pakistan?

[cricketworm]

Have we reached at stage where we can absolutely be critical for international players skipping PSL final?

Has the situation considerably improved?

Hats off to players like Sammy for being an ambassador for PSL.

There are some excuses being thrown by players like Eoin Morgan, but are his excuses understandable?

 

[Big Mac]

I'd have more respect for players who were honest and just said they didn't feel safe, instead of trying to fool people with rubbish like "it's been a long winter and I want to go home but not before stopping off in the UAE to pick up an easy paycheck but you know playing another game or two would totally be too much"

 

[big_gamer007]

Players are absolutely within their rights not to travel to Pakistan for finals.. Nothing is bigger than any persons life and players not willing to travel to Pakistan should not be critiqued..

Players can be honest about it however some try to be diplomatic or give excuses that’s the only thing one can critque them on that they can be honest and say the truth why they don’t want to visit Pakistan.

 

[SM1989]

Players are absolutely within their rights not to travel to Pakistan for finals.. Nothing is bigger than any persons life and players not willing to travel to Pakistan should not be critiqued..

Players can be honest about it however some try to be diplomatic or give excuses that’s the only thing one can critque them on that they can be honest and say the truth why they don’t want to visit Pakistan.

Yes we should be critical of players who don't travel to Pakistan. They fail to see that the security has improved hugely and international matches have been held without incident over the last year. And for their poor judgement they should be criticised and mocked for being chickens.

 

[big_gamer007]

Yes we should be critical of players who don't travel to Pakistan. They fail to see that the security has improved hugely and international matches have been held without incident over the last year. And for their poor judgement they should be criticised and mocked for being chickens.

Have heard such comments a lot on PP.. I guess people here are just too emotional or are plain stupid for having such views..

First point which everyone seems to forget is that Sri Lankan team players were atttacked.. There is a huge difference between bomb blasts and targeted attacks on players of a visiting Cricket team.. If the players were not targeted the situation/perception would not have been this bad.

Second point is these players owe absolutely 0 allegiance to Pakistan, why would they risk their lives visiting Pakistan? YEs the security situation is better now, however even if there is 0.1% risk why would anyone risk their lives? If as per their contracts they can play in Dubai and get money and go back home without traveling to Pakistan then why should they travel and take any risk?

It’s easy to call them chickens however I don’t think you would travel to Syria or any war torn area in Afghanistan yourself? Now you can say Pakistan isn’t aana bad as Syria or Afghanistan which I agree with however for any foreign player why would they want to take any risk?

Remember the SL team were promised Security as well and we all know what happened.. It’s human nature for people to feel safe in their own country so naturally you being from Pakistan feel it’s safe but someone who is not from Pakistan who still hears of a bomb blast every now and then on news would not feel safe.. For foreigners a bomb blast in Quetta = a bomb blast in Pakistan they don’t understand Lahore is safe or Karachi is safe and Quetta is different..

Rarher than calling them chicken why not raise your voice and improve your own country and make it a safe place where no foreign player feels any risk of coming and playing cricket?

 

[Hasan123]

If they don't want to come I don't have an issue . My issues are the franchises selecting these players and the players who aren't honest like Morgan. We can't force players to travel Nd should respect their opinions.

 

[Bleedgreen4ever]

Players are absolutely within their rights not to travel to Pakistan for finals.. Nothing is bigger than any persons life and players not willing to travel to Pakistan should not be critiqued..

Players can be honest about it however some try to be diplomatic or give excuses that’s the only thing one can critque them on that they can be honest and say the truth why they don’t want to visit Pakistan.

Then don't sign up for PSL simple.

 

[big_gamer007]

Then don't sign up for PSL simple.

I think it’s upto the franchise to not buy them.. The franchises probably already know whether the player would visit Pakistan or not and if they are ok with signing a player who will not visit Pakistan then that’s upto them..

The players get good money to play in Dubai for a month or so so why wouldn’t they throw their names in the hat, if You were a foreign cricketer you would also throw your name in the hat it’s upto franchises to have 0 tolerance policy of not taking any player who doesn’t wanna play in Pakistan..

 

[SM1989]

Have heard such comments a lot on PP.. I guess people here are just too emotional or are plain stupid for having such views..

First point which everyone seems to forget is that Sri Lankan team players were atttacked.. There is a huge difference between bomb blasts and targeted attacks on players of a visiting Cricket team.. If the players were not targeted the situation/perception would not have been this bad.

Second point is these players owe absolutely 0 allegiance to Pakistan, why would they risk their lives visiting Pakistan? YEs the security situation is better now, however even if there is 0.1% risk why would anyone risk their lives? If as per their contracts they can play in Dubai and get money and go back home without traveling to Pakistan then why should they travel and take any risk?

It’s easy to call them chickens however I don’t think you would travel to Syria or any war torn area in Afghanistan yourself? Now you can say Pakistan isn’t aana bad as Syria or Afghanistan which I agree with however for any foreign player why would they want to take any risk?

Remember the SL team were promised Security as well and we all know what happened.. It’s human nature for people to feel safe in their own country so naturally you being from Pakistan feel it’s safe but someone who is not from Pakistan who still hears of a bomb blast every now and then on news would not feel safe.. For foreigners a bomb blast in Quetta = a bomb blast in Pakistan they don’t understand Lahore is safe or Karachi is safe and Quetta is different..

Rarher than calling them chicken why not raise your voice and improve your own country and make it a safe place where no foreign player feels any risk of coming and playing cricket?

1) The Sri Lankan team incident was back in 2009, we are now in 2018. Its been a decade, lets move on now shall we.

2) Agreed we can't force these mercenaries. But we are free to voice our displeasure at their mercenary type behaviour.

3) That's the point, Pakistan is no where near Syria or Afghanistan, it isn't a war zone. In fact its an insult to mention Pakistan in the same sentence as Syria or Afghanistan. So please do not make such ridiculous comparisons to begin with, it just makes your argument weak.

4) There is a lot of unrest in certain areas of India, just the other day there was a bomb blast in Sukma. Yet these chickens will still play IPL. Why the double standards?

5) Yes we have raised our voice and held international matches without incident in the recent past. What happened to the Sri Lankan team was a travesty, but we have to move on. The PCB takes these issues very seriously now.

 

[reversehook]

just recently there were 2 bombs detonated in the last two-three days... one in raiwind and one in balochistan... doesn't matter where it happened, the foreigners would be scared none the less... let them be...

if they are given an option to pick then let them choose.... but if they get in on the condition that they will come to Pak, then there should be no changes, unless something major happens beforehand.

 

[sshakir411]

No. It's utterly reasonable to criticize them for taking that decision. Pakistanis say things have progressed..which is true but not enough....yet.

 

[Brodipet_baadshah]

sportsman cant be forced to a play in a particular place when they are not comfortable playing..its their life afterall

 

[OoparCut]

Ridiculous thread. Players should be free to make decisions when it comes to security and their own life at stake.

 

[Kroll]

Ridiculous thread. Players should be free to make decisions when it comes to security and their own life at stake.

Then again, some fans will feel they should be free to criticize if adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure the safety for all concerned.

 

[j_kazmi]

More than anything I think we should crticise the teams for playing to many of these players who are unwilling to come.

 

[rhony]

It's been the same for the past 2 years but the voices of dissent from the fans is more now because of the fear that foreign players might not show up when PSL is scheduled in its entirety possibly next year.

Bangladesh is a relatively peaceful country compared to Pakistan or atleast that's the perception. Countries have backed off playing there not too long ago. One look at Western newspapers every day and you see some kind of attack in Afghanistan. For most westerners, Afghanistan and Pakistan are similar. Even if the players are willing to go, their not so aware families might object. The player unions, friends and even their boards don't support playing in Pakistan. For this to change, the perception of Pakistan has to change. It's much bigger than any sport, let alone a domestic league albeit immensely popular PSL.

One can't blame the foreign players for not willing to play as they are under pressure. Be happy that they are willing to be a part of PSL and help it grow. As the time goes by, the perception will change and even better players or teams will start visiting Pakistan. Until then, PSL shouldnt begrudge foreign players that will help their league in the long run.

 

[Rishta Aunty]

Depends on the reason: I can live with KP's assertion that he doesn't feel safe and doesn't want to take the risk. Fair enough. But Morgan's reason was literally spitting in our faces with that clear lie.

 

[rhony]

Depends on the reason: I can live with KP's assertion that he doesn't feel safe and doesn't want to take the risk. Fair enough. But Morgan's reason was literally spitting in our faces with that clear lie.

When people think the country is safe, why is KP's version better? He is contradicting the popular opinion. Morgan is just trying to be nice. He doesn't want to say Pakistan is unsafe.

 

[cricketworm]

May be Morgan doesn't want to give bad PR to Pakistan or upset his team.

 

[cricketworm]

More than anything I think we should crticise the teams for playing to many of these players who are unwilling to come.

If they don't play those players they lose some value for the team before playoffs.

 

[j_kazmi]

If they don't play those players they lose some value for the team before playoffs.

Yes but I think teams should atleast put a limit(not officially) on the number of players they select that are not willing to come Pakistan.

 

[cricketworm]

Ridiculous thread. Players should be free to make decisions when it comes to security and their own life at stake.

Thread is asking question whether players should be criticized or not for skipping.

 

[MMHS]

It's not only critical, it's disastrous.

Who cares about who is playing and who is not in a T20? Here condition & context makes the fun, not cricketers - few days back Mushi slogged some pretty ordinary bowling, and today Mahmud lofted a leg side half volley - who cares or remembers these details?

BUT, these players by declining to travel to PAK, is destroying the big purpose of PSL. The message I get is that - we don't think PAK is worth risking (from safety perspective) to travel, even for 4 days. If PSL opens the wage cap, then may be AB or Strac or Stokes or Guptil will also come to UAE - but bigger deal is Denly or Mac or Lynn to tour PAK.

I feel, PCB is exposing themselves a bit here - it should have been made compulsory that, subject to professional security checking, if suggested OK - every player has to travel PAK, or franchise don't pick them.

 

[Rishta Aunty]

When people think the country is safe, why is KP's version better? He is contradicting the popular opinion. Morgan is just trying to be nice. He doesn't want to say Pakistan is unsafe.

Because he's being truthful about his reason. It's something we can attempt to prove wrong using evidence and data. On the other hand, Morgan albeit trying to be nice, makes it impossible to convince. That's an excuse that can be pulled out everytime despite the ground reality changing slowly.

 

[big_gamer007]

1) The Sri Lankan team incident was back in 2009, we are now in 2018. Its been a decade, lets move on now shall we.

2) Agreed we can't force these mercenaries. But we are free to voice our displeasure at their mercenary type behaviour.

3) That's the point, Pakistan is no where near Syria or Afghanistan, it isn't a war zone. In fact its an insult to mention Pakistan in the same sentence as Syria or Afghanistan. So please do not make such ridiculous comparisons to begin with, it just makes your argument weak.

4) There is a lot of unrest in certain areas of India, just the other day there was a bomb blast in Sukma. Yet these chickens will still play IPL. Why the double standards?

5) Yes we have raised our voice and held international matches without incident in the recent past. What happened to the Sri Lankan team was a travesty, but we have to move on. The PCB takes these issues very seriously now.

You are not getting the point, to an average foreigner the perception of Pakistan is still unsafe.. Till Pakistan can change that perception nothing will happen.. Bringing back cricket is a start no doubt but players will always have certain doubts..

Point is Lankan team was targeted even after 2009 in next 9 years Pakistan still have terrorism.. If for next 9 years Pakistan was completely incident free then players would not think twice visiting Pakistan however you see monthly reports of bomb blasts somewhere or terrorism related incidents the players just don’t have confidence and why would they risk their lives visiting a country they have no allegiance to?

The point I mentioned about Syria or Afghanistan is because to a foreigner the situation is same, terrorism exists and they don’t wanna risk. You live in Pakistan so you know it’s not true but everyone else don’t..

God forbid if cricketers are ever targeted in India we will face similar situation in India when players refuse to tour us.. Difference between India and Pakistan is that India is hosting other big sporting events as well so perception of world changes when you host a successful sporting event.. Pakistan on the other hand can’t host anything so till terrorism is 100% removed you will always have doubts in mind of players..

I don’t know about you so I won’t comment but on these very forums I have seen people believing in an ideology which feeds of extremists.. Remember terrorism is an ideology a terrorist against India right now can tomorrow join another group which targets Pakistan because ultimately it’s all an extremist ideology.. So if you really want to get rid of terrorism you need to stop differentiating between terrorists and kill the ideology and not the people.. Anyways let’s not discuss all this on cricket forum..

 

[fitCricFan]

Well, if you feel so strongly about it, link it to their contracts and then see who or how many are willing to travel to Pakistan to play PSL. Most of these foreign players anyways are not at the prime of their careers and not hot picks for their national teams so I am willing to bet that at the right price, they will travel anywhere, even to "Mars"
The bigger question however is that how can PSL be financially viable if matches inside Pakistan are played with such a high security cover. You can probably have a few games with that sort of security but not all. Its a catch-20

 

[Chikkeh]

International players should be picked on the basis if there team qualifies for the play off they're going to Pakistan to play.

Not get paid a kings ransom and then say I'm not going its ruins the tournament as proven in the last 2 years.