It is sad that there is a murder mystery that looms over this World Cup. If any of the players are implicated in this one, then the game would have really been hurt like never before. Even otherwise the game has been hurt. That Cronje’s death was okayed as natural death, sad that the same cannot be done with this one now.
The police officer investigating the case says:
Media has to understand what is being said. You can’t hold somebody in your country against their will if you don’t have sufficient information
Fair enough when you look at it from his point of view. But the shocking thing is that the players are still being suspected. Somehow, the minute I heard of Woolmer’s murder I mentally acquitted the players of any form of involvement in this. I might not like the Pakistani cricketers alright, but that is because they are better players under pressure compared to us. I don’t like them because they are so agressive that I always want to see in our team. But I have never doubted them to the extent that they would actually murder or even involve themselves in a conspiracy to murder their own coach.
Even if the culprit is a Pakistani cricket official, I think Pakistan should be banned from playing cricket under the ICC forever. It has been tough times for the Pakistan cricket. I hope they come clean. Also, I hope the missing manuscripts of the book are found and ultimately published. The truth should be made available to the public. And I have the hope that truth shall win!
I was disturbed by the volte face of Mark Shields who first said he was “powerless” to prevent the Pakistani players from leaving Jamaican shores; and later (today) posed a question to surprised journalists asking: ‘How would you feel if you were held against your will?’
It’s obvious that someone is trying to force his hand, for all the wrong reasons. I may be jumping the gun here, but I have a strong feeling that it has got to be the Paki players who were involved in snuffing out Woolmer’s life.
The perpetual frightened look team manager Talat Ali sported; the nonchalant behaviour of Inzi; the cut on Mushy’s face… all lead me to conclude these blokes had a hand in the murder.
What gets my goat is the manner in which media manager Pervez Mir speaks to everyone who’d care to listen to him! The way he measures his words (obviously to safeguard his job and please his masters back home) in a laboured accent is irritating.
I sincerely hope that this doesn’t turn out as yet another “Whodunit”. As for your fervent wish that “Pakistan should be banned from playing cricket under the ICC forever… ” It’s not gonna happen. If it come to pass, I’ll suggest your name for the Bharat Ratna!
This will go down as one of the most unfortunate periods in the long cricket history. Sad, the good sport has come to such a pass. South Asia made cricket monetarily a rich game. It also brought disrepute.
I get this feeling that the Jamaican police is incompetent. Maybe they have their act together now, but in the initial days after the death, I am convinced that they could have handled things better. It cannot take an eternity to complete and announce the results of an autopsy. It cannot take an eternity to classify a death as a murder. And then to second guess everything… This Mark Shields character comes across as a publicity seeking bloke.
I agree with Aditya. I do not think any Pak team member would have wanted to or be involved in pre-meditated murder. But given their natural aggressive and hot-headed nature, it is possible that it was a case of an argument between coach and player(s) that led to an unintended murder?
But then, it may not be a murder at all…
Murali, you said, “the Jamaican police is incompetent”. I doubt it. It’s more like, ‘the Jamaican police have not been allowed to do their job’.
I mean, why would an autopsy and allied tests take several weeks to arrive? Doesn’t that in itself suggest a sinister ring to matters? As though someone if very keen on the truth not seeing the light of day? Who it could be and why is anybody’s guess.
I am personally pained to learn that Woolmer’s body will be cut up once again, in the name of an ‘autopsy’. Let the man Rest in Peace, please. he can’t take no more!
Anand… that is the painful part.. I can only imagine the plight of Woolmer’s family.. they can’t even give him the farewell he deserves… since his body is now “evidence”
what a disrepute to the game! Somehow pakistan cricket is in the news for all wrong reasons.. first doping now murder….
I also feel that the players are not involved in this. Maybe the cricket “officials”… but definitely not players… atleast that’s my hope!
Sad thing really!! Its shocking to see that people can’t take sports in the sportive sense anymore! :(
Woolmer should have been more careful while playing with sharks. It was very precarious situation for ICC as well the Jamaican police to have been in. It’s like one of those Agatha Christie stories where a person gets killed when nobody expects and there are not many clues. In this case we might never know the real truth, as there are big names (Either Pakistani players/officials or Dawood) involved and lot of money too.
I feel sad for the Woolmer’s family, as whatever else he might be, he was a great coach. I hope they conclude the inquest soon and let things come to normal, as if it ever could with Pakistani cricket.
Hey buddy!
Is all well? I haven’t seen you active on your blog for almost a week now. No comments, no new posts… Hope you’re doing alright…
Keep your fans informed please!
Lets hope the truth comes out soon…
Anand Balaji:
I agree with you here. Someone is clearly trying to control the outcome of this case. If that someone succeeds it will be a very big blow to the game.
You are convinced that it’s the Pak team that’s the culprit. And that’s where I guess we got to agree to disagree! :)
My condolences to the Woolmer family. It’s unfortunate they are having to deal with this.
Reason for the inactivity (not a week, this post was posted on 28th Mar), I was in Bangalore for my Tata’s 12th and 13th day ceremonies. Came back today morning.
“Keep your fans informed please!”: Didn’t find anyone else since morning to leg-pull?! :)
Pradeep:
If you notice this is the second South African to die in connection with match-fixing. All of our South Asian cricket players are safe and alive. They are fighting it out.
This only means that the match-fixing sharks in South Africa are much more ruthless when compared to the Asian ones. This disrepute has been actually a Global phenomenon on the the game. I wouldn’t say that it is SOuth Asia that is solely responsible for this!
Murali Partha:
I see your point completely except in the line “it may not be a murder at all…” I can only think of it as a murder. What makes you say it might not be one?
Vijay:
“Evidence” – that word must be the most hated one by the Woolmer family! Sad.
Shark:
We concur. But need to wait for the legal proceedings on this one. I hope this death is not quickly forgotten as the previous ones. This death clearly points to something that’s deeper than what meets the eye!
Anupama Viswanathan:
True! But let’s hope things change for the better!
Sundeep:
You have a point there! And totally agree to “he was a great coach”. That’s precisely why we are feeling so sad for him and for the game here. There was also an Irish cricket chief who died who will never be discussed.Jeevan:
Hope for the best always! :)
Please accept my condolences on the demise of your grandpa. I didn’t have a clue about it:(
Relief at last! I finally get to see you replies to comments and a new post too! I really assumed it had been a week since you had posted this, just goes to show the umpteen times I checked into your blog. Almost 5-8 times a day, so it made me feel like it’d been ages!
Take care:)