The Pakistan cricket team, surrounded by controversy, has kept an extremely low profile at the Cricket World Cup. Security has been tight around the team representing a country where the world's most wanted terrorist is reportedly hiding out. But this was not the tragedy they were expecting. Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found unconscious on the floor of the team's hotel in Jamaica and later died in the hospital, less than 24 hours after Pakistan suffered a devastating loss to upstart Ireland. He was only 58 years old. Fans in Pakistan had called for Woolmer's resignation and even suggested the team be "arrested" for the embarrassing loss and early exit from the event.
I attended a press conference with Woolmer just last Monday at Kensington Cricket Club in Kingston, Jamaica. I got to ask one question: "Do you think the press coverage regarding the team's absent players has been fair?'' He said no, and added that Pakistan added Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif to the Cricket World Cup roster thinking they would be fit in time but that didn't happen. What I really was referring to was the doping rumors surrounding Akhtar and Asif, but I didn't press the issue for fear of upsetting Woolmer and other Pakistan officials, who run the team as if it were representing Albania.
Woolmer and the Pakistan team entered the event under a lot of pressure, and we are now seeing the tragic end result. Woolmer dedicated his life to cricket, whether coaching or when he was a decent batsman for England in the 1970s and early 80s. Ironically, after Saturday's loss to Ireland, Woolmer, who reportedly was diabetic and sometimes wore an oxygen mask, told AFP: "I am deeply hurt and cannot tell you how it is going to affect me."
My condolences go out to his family and friends. I had hoped the Cricket World Cup would go off without a hitch in my beloved Caribbean. Now I'm afraid the event might be marred for good.
With the Paki's out, who do you like now?
Posted by: David | March 20, 2007 at 03:07 PM