Adil Najam
So it turns out that Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer was not murdered after all.
Of course, some of our readers had never believed that charge in the first place. And it has now been clear for a while that this was not murder.
But seeing the news reports on the television still leaves me feeling very uncomfortable – even queasy. This raises more questions in one’s mind.
What about the way we will remember this man? In those first few days before the murder story was floated, there was an outpouring of respect for Woolmer amongst Pakistanis. I myself had suggested renaming National Stadium in his memory. But with all the murder talk we forgot about him and his career and his service as Pakistan coach. Maybe its time to remember him again?
What about the Pakistan team and players and all the emotional cost to them? Should there be an apology? By whom? This is not about a blame game. It is about bringing real closure to a very sordid affair.
And why – for God’s sake why – did this story carry so much credibility for so wrong. It not only dragged the Woolmer family through even greater pain than the immensity of the news about his death. It put a shadow not just over the Pakistan team but over Pakistan cricket. And it made the World Cup event so much less than it should have been. All all of this for what?
I agree, lets at least name a stadium for him.
One wonders if the same had happened to another teams coach on Pakistani ground , what would have been the scenario ?
Had our good old men in malaysia/khaki ( the police ) made the same kind of jumping the gun accusations against the gora log , what would have happened ?
Would any other team have taken this quietly had they been hinted at being involved in such a sordid deal ?
Lets say sueing the said authorities would be pointless ( although i do feel it should have happened )
should not our PCB or perhaps even our government have protested a little louder ?
should not have we lodged a stronger statement ?
Oh ofcourse , we are busy digging our own graves …
This is Off Topic
ATTN: Adil Najam
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I think the point of the writeup is being missed. We need to re-think his legacy WITHOUT the murder story. See, we are still talking about the murder. Najam’s point is that we need to talk about the man again and remember him as a cricketer a coach and a person and not just as a sensational story. Maybe naming a stadium will get that started.
The fact that Bob Woolmer was not murdered means that he died of heart break caused by Pakistan’s defeat at the hands of Ireland…
Re-name National Stadium as Woolmer stadium… it is the least we can do.