KARACHI, 6 August 2005 — Pakistan’s former captain Imran Khan has said Pakistan cricket would have lost millions of rupees if England’s tour this year had been cancelled over the Karachi issue.
“There are people who are trying to cash in on England’s refusal to play a Test in Karachi. They are showing false concern,” Khan said.
“But it is good for Karachi’s future as a major cricket centre that England is playing a one-dayer there.” Khan told Reuters in an interview that he had maintained all along that it was better to have a one-dayer in Karachi instead of insisting on a Test match and derailing the tour.
He added that if the tour had been cancelled Pakistan would have suffered big losses as it was unfortunately not in the same position as England.
“Despite the bomb attacks in London, England is in a position to muster up a replacement tour or series. But for Pakistan a cancellation would have resulted in big losses.”
The 52-year-old, who is now a member of Parliament after playing in 88 Tests and 175 One-Day Internationals, felt that England had a right to be concerned for security reasons.
“In Karachi when the English security team was visiting at the same time, the city Nazim gave a statement about bloodshed in the local bodies elections. It didn’t help matters,” he said, referring to the statement of mayor of Karachi.
Insisting he had made no U-turn on the Karachi issue and still thought England should play a Test there, Khan pointed out that only a few thousand people came to watch a Test in the city. He also wondered why last year when India had also agreed to play only a one-dayer in Karachi, no one had objected than.
“I don’t want to make political capital of this issue. But we have to tackle this issue realistically.” England, after rejecting a proposal to play a Test for security reasons, will just play a one-dayer in Karachi on their tour from Oct. 26.
