Terror strikes cricket...

Today, cricket lovers, particularly Indian cricket fans sat and watched with a sense of renewed confidence, the Indian team redeem quickly their prestige glory temporarily lost when they lost the '20-20' series against hosts New Zealand. Redemption coming through a good batting innings in the first ODI at Napier, leaving the hosts to chase a very ambitous, if not an impossible target to achieve to secure victory.
But early in the morning, this feeling of euphoria was soon replaced by a sense of deep shock, when news came in of the cruel terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team currently touring Pakistan, in Lahore. Six players were injured but are thankfully safe.
The unthinkable and the unprecedented has happened. Never before were sportsmen targeted in such a henious manner as this. Questions and concerns that were raised about safety of players who toured Pakistan, have now probably been comprehensively answered. And no Country will be keen on sending their teams to play in this Nation, which is now slowly but surely coming completely within the grip of terrorism and 'Talibanisation'
The fear of touring India, is perceived to be no less, especially after the 26/11 attacks and bloodshed in 5 star hotels which brought into focus the stark realization that anyone irrespective of caste, class or status can be a victim.
Today's attack on the Sri Lankan team is without doubt a setback to the common citizen of Pakistan, and to the cricket fan.
For, the possibility of any foreign team coming to Pakistan to play, can at best be seen as 'remote'
The same can probably be said for the entire South Asia region, India included.