Cricket & The Mumbai Terrorist Attack

Words really cannot describe the horrors of seeing innocent men and women slaughtered, of elite commandos falling out of flaming windows or of one India's most celebrated and iconic buildings being owned by raging flames. Talking about anything else, especially cricket, feels like a betrayal and belittling of the courage of the hotel and station staff, of the victims, but most importantly our bravest commandos, soldiers, policemen and firemen.

However, we have a mandate on this website and that is to talk about all things related to cricket. In this vein I read a most telling and articulate opinion piece by Cricinfo's Sambit Bal on the connection between these cowardly events and the fate of Indian cricket.

I have not always agreed with Sambit in the past. However, nobody else has been able to say what needs to be said with the skill and passion that Sambit has managed to exude his article. A great read and I, for one, have nothing further to add for the moment.

Let us all hope and pray for the families of the victims, especially our courageous security forces who come to the party and leave through the back door after a job well done, time and time again, with absolutely no fanfare. This is not a political blog but surely now questions must be asked about the role of fat cat Indian politicians in, at the very least, making very easy, or at the worst, directly aiding and abetting, the activities of such cowardly louts / terrorists.