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Despite perennial concerns over security issues on the Asian subcontinent, it was selected to host the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. The four Asian Test-playing nations- Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka- are scheduled to host matches in that tournament. The recent terror attack against the Sri Lankan team and ICC officials in Pakistan has left the short term future of Pakistan in doubt.

No longer can it be said that terrorists in Asia do not attack sportsmen. Sri Lanka and India have had terrorist strikes in recent time. However, the 2009 terrorist attacks in Pakistan advanced the fears of cricket playing nations significantly. If the security officials in Pakistan could not protect one team in a bilateral series, how can they host multiple teams at the same time?

Also, the attacks in Pakistan affect the other hosting nations as well. Proximity and recurrent conflict would result in the fear of contagion as far as terrorist activity goes. The ICC is likely to review the ability of Asia to host the 2011 World Cup as a result. Given that India is such a major force in world cricket, it is not going to be an easy decision for the ICC. However, safety is a critical concern and is likely to have more weight than India’s economic considerations.

2008 Champions Trophy was shifted from Pakistan because of security concerns. These security concerns existed long before the attacks against the Sri Lankan cricket team in a bilateral series. Extending this logic, it is clear the chance of the tournament even being held in Asia may be under threat.

The integrity of a World Cup event involving Pakistan as a host may also be heavily compromised. In the 1996 World Cup, the West Indies and Australia forfeited matches played in Sri Lanka because of fear of attack. In the 2003 World Cup, New Zealand forfeited a match played in Nairobi for the sake of safety.


The forfeitures had limited impact on the 1996 World Cup. However, New Zealand’s 2003 forfeiture ensured that Kenya scraped through the group stage with bonus points. Kenya went on to reach the semi-finals on the back of that forfeiture- a result that ultimately undermined the quality of the tournament. The ICC is likely to factor this into the hosting conundrum, especially with the ‘old establishment’ (England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) having security fears.

The attack against the Sri Lankan team has put Asia’s hosting of the 2011 World Cup in serious jeopardy. One of the ramifications of that attack is that cricketers are no longer safe in Pakistan. Even Asian cricketers are not safe. With the 2009 edition of the IPL being moved to South Africa and Bangladesh not hosting any teams in the short term – it seems unlikely that the third-largest sporting even will be hosted on the Asian subcontinent. There are still two years left, but the deep scars left by the 2009 assault of Sri Lanka’s cricketers will be difficult to ignore.

Author: Andre V