Fearing the future of Gen Next, skipper Younis Khan urges cricket bosses to ensure the gentleman's game doesn't die in Pakistan
Fearing the future of Gen Next, skipper Younis Khan urges cricket bosses to ensure the gentleman's game doesn't die in Pakistan
Younis Khan has appealed to cricket's administrators to save the game in Pakistan, or risk pushing future generations into the clutches of terrorists. The Pakistan captain fears that an extended boycott by touring teams could lead to a dramatic decline in interest and participation in cricket among the nation's youth. That, in turn, could invite corrupting influences to fill the void that might otherwise have been occupied by sport, Younis argued.
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Pakistan captain Younis Khan walks past the bulletu2013ridden bus which was carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team and was attacked by terrorists on Tuesday, parked outside the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. pic/afp |
"Our future as a nation is in our youngsters' hands," Younis told Cricinfo.
"Sport helps to make good human beings. If the sport is not there, the children can do silly things. We have to be very careful about that. Nobody wants to see children going down a bad path and finding themselves involved with bombs and things like that. We all must do something to stop that happening.
"Maybe in the future we will be alone (as a cricketing nation) and that would be very sad, especially for the youngsters. When I was a boy, I loved watching Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram playing against great teams from overseas.
"It is because of them seeing them play that I also played the game. But what if no one comes to Pakistan? How will the youngsters know about the game? What will they do?
"I appeal for all the bosses and the ICC to not let cricket die here. They must think about all the factors, including what will become of the youngsters of Pakistan. It would be very easy right now for the ICC and the bosses to say there will be no cricket in Pakistan. But the future will not be good if cricket is taken away from my country."
