[VIDEO] “I’d love to go and visit Pakistan” : Joe Root

[adil79]

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/448636544?byline=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Joe Root at a press conference after the 2nd Test vs Pakistan:

“I’d love to go and visit Pakistan. I think it would be a great opportunity to go and play there personally. Unfortunately, it’s not my decision to make, but it looks like a wonderful country to go and play cricket in. The wickets look nice and flat as well which would be a nice change to what we just played on here. You could see the emotion of everyone in Pakistan when Test cricket was there last year. Speaking to a few of the players about how much it meant to them, they really appreciated being able to play in Pakistan.”

 

[adil79]

Root for president!

#Hyped

 

[sweep_shot]

Cricket can now fully return to Pakistan now. Things are fine.

 

[Abdullah719]

Always been a fan of Root…

 

[Bhaijaan]

Respected to Joe Root for saying that.

To be fair, apart from the Warner incident, he's never been a controversial character. Very sensible character it seems.

I remember I used to be a huge fan of his game back in the day. I wish he was more expressive and dominant but he's what he is. Everyone is unique and tries to be the best they can.

 

[Varun]

Even if it's a short 2-test series, he'll make scores of 13, 54, 27 and 65.

 

[Markhor]

Nice one Joe, convince your teammates now.

 

[Ilan Bluestone]

People don't realize how much it means to Pakistanis that international stars say they would be happy to come.

God willing, one day we will have a quality team and a quality opponent have a full tour.

I do hope India and Pakistan relations improve and we can play against one another again.

It is sad that it always has to be vitriol and anger, when to me (as an international who has a plethora of Indian friends), I always get excited to watch and discuss Pakistan and India matches together.

 

[Titan24]

This statement aside Root speaks well and sensibly more often than not.

There is absolutely no reason for any team not to visit Pakistan as I have said time and time again. Obviously Pak's provide presidential level security which can easily be relaxed to an extent to allow players to roam around which is really important in any tour. PCB had to be extra cautious to start with, things are naturally gonna be relaxed as more editions of PSL and more tours take place.

 

[Fawad Siddiqui]

Joe Root is a very down to earth person. At least he took the lead and expressed his opinion. Now we will have to have to wait and see ECB following suit and substantiating this with an affirmative response by scheduling a series in the near future.

 

[adzzy786]

As Pakistani fans do you not worry about the safety of international players? I remember when Sri Lanka visited I was genuinely worried that something may go wrong. I would love to see cricket go back to Pakistan I really do however my argument is if Pakistan is safe then there wouldn’t be any need for presidential security? So surely it’s not safe hence that level of security is needed?

Please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s just the way I see it at the moment

 

[Mueez]

It would be absolutely perfect to see the World Cup winners in Pakistan.

A dream come true for Pakistani cricket fans...

 

[Saj]

I think the players want to, at least most do.

Convincing ECB is the real issue.

 

[Pacy with wisdom]

As Pakistani fans do you not worry about the safety of international players? I remember when Sri Lanka visited I was genuinely worried that something may go wrong. I would love to see cricket go back to Pakistan I really do however my argument is if Pakistan is safe then there wouldn’t be any need for presidential security? So surely it’s not safe hence that level of security is needed?

Please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s just the way I see it at the moment

You need to understand the Geopolitics and how many enemies the State of Pakistan has. In that realm, there will always be an enemy intelligence agency here or there trying their bit to create a nuisance, which is why top notch security is important.
On the whole, Pakistan is indeed safe, but you cant discount the workings of these losers who will always be plotting to bring us down.

 

[Buffet]

Teams visting Pakistan would have a different charm than UAE.

Hopefully, situation keeps getting better and more teams can tour Pakistan. That will add something which UAE can never add.

 

[Slim]

Joe Root - what a guy!

 

[Bullet Drive]

Joe Root loves Pakistanis.

It was a Pakistani(Moin Khan's brother) who basically changed Joe Root's career. He made him train harder, and Root owes a lot of his success to him.

Also, Usama Mir's wifes Dad was Joe Root's school teacher whom Joe Root is very fond of.

Root should play in the PSL. Open the batting for Lahore Qalandars.

Wow.

 

[Buffet]

As Pakistani fans do you not worry about the safety of international players? I remember when Sri Lanka visited I was genuinely worried that something may go wrong. I would love to see cricket go back to Pakistan I really do however my argument is if Pakistan is safe then there wouldn’t be any need for presidential security? So surely it’s not safe hence that level of security is needed?

Please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s just the way I see it at the moment

Since Pakistan totally messed up with SL team getting into shoot out, it's better to overdo the security than underdo it. Slowly with time security measures can be relaxed. If you wait for teams to visit with very relaxed security then it may take a very long time. Trust was broken with SL team getting shot without proper security. Trust will come back with each tour happening even if it happen with bit over the top security.

Giving high security and getting teams visiting Pakistan regularlly will lead to normal tours in future. Eventually we may see some future Fanie de Villiers riding a bike without any security, but it will take increamental steps.

 

[Buffet]

For younger posters,



I am sure it will happen again. Just need to have tons of patience.

 

[hitthestump]

Root should come for PSL in that case!

 

[MMHS]

I think, the biggest problem now is the fear of backlash. BD players were 5 minutes too late to become national hero.... but hardly anyone is going to question BCB/GoB if team is sent again. Problem for PAK's case is that any Govt. (particularly SENA Govt. & GoI) allows their team to travel and anything happens (not necessarily to Players or even not targeted to players either) opposition will grill ruling Govt. alive. This is one issue I think PAK's foreign ministry should take over from PCB - PCB can manage up to PSL level, where players join at individual level, but national team is flag bearers.

Not only Root, I am sure any player if asked will say something similar (& they might be honest as well), but it's not helping PAK's cause to be honest. In fact, it'll be quite naive for PAK media to ask players in this regard as the answer will be almost unanimous - I would say, it's associated with a negative connotation; players shouldn't be asked in front of audience if they are ready to travel to PAK or not.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

As Pakistani fans do you not worry about the safety of international players? I remember when Sri Lanka visited I was genuinely worried that something may go wrong. I would love to see cricket go back to Pakistan I really do however my argument is if Pakistan is safe then there wouldn’t be any need for presidential security? So surely it’s not safe hence that level of security is needed?

Please correct me if I’m wrong, it’s just the way I see it at the moment

You’re right that Pakistan still isn’t the best but I would say you are more likely to get mugged at night in New York City than in Lahore.

The presidential level security is definitely overkill—though perhaps a bit too much, it is necessary for the psychological factor for touring teams. Also, even if there is a 0.1% risk, it is necessary to account for it. Any incident would bring 10 years of rebuilding our image crashing down, and images are difficult to build.

Going back to my earlier example—if there is a bombing in Lahore, it would be more frightening for someone like Dom Sibley to come to Pakistan than it would have been for him to go to the US after the Boston Marathon bombings. It’s all about image and sense of security — hence, salute to the Pakistan armed forces and to Imran Khan especially for granting presidential level security to restore the country’s image.

 

[James]

Joe is right, and it’s great to hear about the players’ confidence and motivation to tour Pakistan.

England should offer to tour, and Pakistan should accept.

 

[MenInG]

Bad light and rain ruined the drawn second Test against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl, with only a day and a half's play possible across the match.

Root, 29, said authorities could consider using a brighter red ball, bringing forward the start time and improving floodlights.

"It is something that needs looking at higher up the chain," he said.

"It is way above my pay grade but there are different things that may be able to be trialled to see if there are other ways we could do things in this country to avoid similar scenarios.

"It has been a huge talking point but it needs to be addressed somewhere somehow."

England reached 110-4 in reply to Pakistan's 236 before Root and Pakistan captain Azhar Ali agreed on a draw that preserved the hosts' 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The Test was the ninth shortest in England in terms of balls bowled, although it was only the third draw in the past 43 Tests in the UK.

Root said "we've got protect the game as much as possible", adding: "You don't want to drastically change the game too much for potentially only an hour's bad light in a five-day game."

Under International Cricket Council regulations, umpires can take the players off for bad light when they deem it "dangerous or unreasonable" to continue.

The officials were criticised in Southampton, particularly on the first two days when play was stopped despite the light not seeming dangerous.

Root, who said he did not blame the umpires, added: "We are all for playing but don't want anyone getting injured or hurt because of light or wet ground."

Azhar said: "It's tough. A spectator, outside the ground, will obviously want to see the game being played, but umpires and the other authorities will want to put player safety first because they are the ones under pressure and the ones who have to do it in the middle.

"I think they are doing a great job."

'I'd love to tour Pakistan'

Pakistan must win the final Test, which starts at the same ground on Friday, to draw the series.

There have been calls for the next series between the sides, scheduled for 2022, to take place in Pakistan.

England have not played in Pakistan since 2005, and there were no Tests in the country for 10 years after gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009.

Root said he would "love" to play in Pakistan but that it was "not my decision to make".

"It would be a great opportunity to go and play there personally," he said.

"It looks a wonderful country to go play in. The wickets look nice and flat as well, which would be a nice change to what we have had here."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/53807460

 

[sharmaji]

I completely agree with you. May your words come true and our leaders see the futility of the hatred. I would love to watch India and Pakistan play each other at Karachi and Bangalore. I would love to visit Pakistan one day and watch cricket amidst the fans there. And also want Pakistani fans to visit India without any hassles and enjoy cricket here.

On topic, it'd be great to see England tour Pakistan. What places would you prefer to have the matches in ? And what kind of pitches do they have? I would love if Pakistan can dish a raging spinning track to the English team

People don't realize how much it means to Pakistanis that international stars say they would be happy to come.

God willing, one day we will have a quality team and a quality opponent have a full tour.

I do hope India and Pakistan relations improve and we can play against one another again.

It is sad that it always has to be vitriol and anger, when to me (as an international who has a plethora of Indian friends), I always get excited to watch and discuss Pakistan and India matches together.

 

[Invincible Gujjar]

If England come to Pakistan they will receive much love here. Personally I m gonna visit Pakistan hopefully in 2-3 years I m very excited about it.

 

[TrentDevil]

Always been a fan of Root…

I can confirm this

 

[the Great Khan]

I've always liked Root, seems a good lad and very personable. I think England will tour Pakistan in 2022. The issue will be the logistics because I think they will split everything up. They will tour for probably three tests, with two running back to back and then come back perhaps later in the year or the next year for a ODI series. I cant see a full ODI series and test tour because England have too many players in the three formats. Handling just a test tour is easily possible. what they could do is have a test tour and then a t20 series a couple of weeks later.

Moving on to the India Pakistan series. i'll be very honest if Virat Kohli lands in Pakistan he will be a hero. full stop. They guy has alot of admirers in Pakistan. Yes I know we hate his chest puffing but we actually admire it too as a lot of Pakistanis like that kind of cricket. We just hate it comes from an indian lol.
I can guarantee the Indian team will be overwhelmed with the love and hospitality they will get..it will blow their minds..

 

[Hasan123]

This is good to hear. I think the issue is mainly with boards. Players seem to want to tour. Could be some exceptions of course but I get the impression a lot of players would tour.