Click to play videoNew Delhi: A bomb blast in Colombo that left seven dead and 17 injured left a cricket series in jeopardy.
The triangular tournament to be played in Sri Lanka has run into trouble as the South African team has pulled out of their Lanka tour, citing security reasons.
This is not the first time that violence has marred the spirit of sport. And once again, it's the cricketing fields of the subcontinent where the tumult has been staged.
With global terror networks spreading their wings, it's the Asian nations who are at the receiving end on the sports field time and again, the latest being the controversy surrounding the tri-series in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and now India are increasingly being demarcated as the no-go zones in international sports.
Earlier in 1987, New Zealand had abandoned their tour to Sri Lanka and during the 1996 World Cup, Australia and West Indies had refused to play matches in Colombo, fearing terror attacks.
Then in 2002, New Zealand had pulled out of their Pakistan tour after a blast near the Sheraton Hotel in Karachi.
But in sharp contrast, on July 21, 2005, barely two weeks after the devastating London blasts, Australia faced England in the historic Ashes Series.
The discrimination is clear. During the 1996 World Cup, India and Pakistan did not shy away from playing their matches in Sri Lanka even though the other big teams pulled out.
Be it London or Lanka, security arrangements for cricketers are the same everywhere. It is high time that ICC takes notice of this castigation.
- 1987: New Zealand abandoned their Sri Lanka tour after blasts killed 112 in Colombo
- 1996: Australia and West Indies refused to play in Sri Lanka during World Cup
- 2002: New Zealand abandoned Pakistan series after a blast outside their hotel
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