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Pakistan v India match sparks Oval terror alert
David Lloyd9 Mar 2009
Surrey will be involved in English cricket's biggest ever security operation if a planned Twenty20 World Cup warm-up match between Pakistan and India goes ahead at The Oval.
The game, scheduled to take place on the evening of Wednesday 3 June, was confirmed today but arranged before terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team and Test match officials in Pakistan last week.
Any meeting between India and Pakistan is high profile because of all the history between the two countries. But security implications - in the wake of the Lahore atrocity and last November's outrage in Mumbai - for a game in London are likely to be huge.
"We will do everything possible we can to ensure that it goes ahead," said Surrey chief executive Paul Sheldon. "But clearly we will need a lot of expert advice and obviously we are going to look very closely at the security issues with the England Cricket Board and International Cricket Board.
"At the moment we are scheduled to hold it and we're not feeling we're going to say 'no we can't'. We are certainly not running away from our responsibility to hold these matches. We have very close links with the Asian communities and we want to keep that up at all costs.
“But if ultimately the advice from the ICC and the ECB is different we will think again.”
Sheldon confirmed that Surrey had not asked to stage a warm-up match. Tournament director Steve Elworthy has already said that security measures for the three-week event — which also features matches at Lord's and Trent Bridge — are being reviewed in the wake of the Lahore attack.
“Definitely, the Lahore terror attack has forced us to relook our plan,” Elworthy said. “The attack has proved that terrorists can strike anywhere, anytime and this is worrying.”
Reader views (5)
How can you say this? How is any of this Pakistan's fault. The country is at the state of dissarray only to allow the americans do their dirty work. And how is India safe? They had attacks in Mumbai and how come all of a sudden is it all safe? And to andrew- you say why spend so much money on an india pak. match? Cuz the revenue that is made out of a single match is more than the whole of the Ashes could make. Try 2.8 odd billion cricket crazy people!!!
I am really dissappointed to see some of the views of people on pakistan cricket. Why such ignorance? do you really not know that it is not Pakistan that is at fault or the only country to be targetted by terrorist, then why such harsh views on Pakistan and Pakistan alone?
- Omar, Saffron Walden, United Kingdom, 23/04/2009 11:22
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Why should England carry the top level security risks outlined above for two overseas teams whose countries seem to be at a high state of tension, if not at war with each other? Plus the costs and likely disruption to citizens in London. OK if it was Pakistan or India playing England.
India seems to have "got real" by refusing to play matches in Pakistan, or to let Pakistan field their home games there. Are they even hosting any warm up games between Pakistan and India? These are all questions Rogan should be directing to India.
- Jay, Reading, 10/03/2009 11:08
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Give in to the terrorists and you encourage more incidents. History lays this out for anyone to see. What? Should they stop all international sports events 'just in case'?
Get real!
- Rogan, Irving, 10/03/2009 06:40
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The ICC should ban Pakistan from all international cricket until they can prove that it is safe for them to play.
Some may say that doing this means that the terrorists have won, others may say that this will show the Pakistani Government that they have to do something about this problem before they can be permitted back in to International Cricket.
- Andrew, London, 09/03/2009 22:37
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Don't do it! The murderous attack on the Sri Lankan team changes everything. Sportsmen are now official targets for the terrorists high profile publicity. Cricket has now gone officially political. Let's not give home grown terrorists the oxygen nor the opportunity. It's just not worth it, particularly as cricket in England has lost a lot of its following in recent years.
- John Davies, Maidstone, 09/03/2009 18:09
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