The date 3/3 will be for the world of cricket, what 9/11 was for the US, 7/7 was for England, and 26/11 was for India. These will all be remembered as days when countries, cities, peoples and sporting disciplines lost their sense of insulation, their security and got touched by the very real reach of terror.

Let?s talk cricket, given the context. Pakistan cricket, already in doldrums, suffering from successive tour cancellations and pullouts, is now going to struggle to get back on its feet. Cricket boards make money by hosting bilateral and multilateral cricket tournaments, which attract sponsors, television broadcasters and other cash cows. That money is then used to pay international players, to support domestic cricket and to finance cricket infrastructure in that country. The prospect of any major tour or tournament in Pakistan in the near to mid term future is zero.

It may not be the most obvious thought to cross one?s mind at this point in time, but there is a lot at stake for the BCCI and the Indian cricket establishment in what is happening in our neighbouring countries. Most immediately at stake is the future of the 2011 world cup, scheduled to be jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Few nations will want to play in Pakistan. The situation in Sri Lanka is also fragile?-remember that even in the 1996 world cup (also co hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) some countries forfeited their matches to be played in Sri Lanka. That was in the aftermath of the bombing of Sri Lanka?s central bank. With war raging in Sri Lanka we can hardly be sure that teams will play there. Bangladesh is also rife with instability.

In such a situation, it would seem to make the best sense for the Indian cricket board to disassociate its considerable commercial interests with the instability and inhospitable climes of the neighbourhood.

There was admittedly a time when we needed the support (read votes) of the entire Asian bloc to win clout at the high table of the ICC, which was traditionally dominated by the old colonial powers England and Australia with the support of New Zealand and South Africa. That is probably why we offered to co-host the 1987 world cup with Pakistan, the 1996 world cup with Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the 2011 World Cup with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The unity of the Asian bloc was also critical in electing Jagmohan Dalmiya to the presidency of the ICC. The Asian bloc has a sizeable 4 votes at the ICC and can usually rely on West Indies and now South Africa to back it. In fact, the subcontinent bid won the right to hold the 2011 world cup against over the trans-Tasmanian bid by 10 votes to 3 (some votes were associate members?).

Interestingly enough, though, fotrmer BCCI president IS Bindra went on record to say that the Subcontinent won the 2011 bid not on the strength of political lobbying but instead on the strength of economics?the subcontinent bid offered an extra profit of $400 million over the trans-Tasmanian bid. And the financial clout of the subcontinent clearly comes from India.

And that really is the difference between the time we bid for the 1987 and 1996 world cups and now. We were not a financial powerhouse in cricket then?now the world?s cricket economy centres entirely in India. Jagmohan Dalmiya?s greatest contribution to raising the clout of Indian cricket was not through ascending to the presidency of the ICC, but by actually converting Indian cricket into the cash cow it now is. Whoever is the president of ICC, India now rules. It is India?s financial clout (including the lure of the IPL for individual players) which ?persuaded? the England Board and players to return so soon after 26/11.

It is important for the mandarins of Indian cricket to realise that their power now comes from being a commercial centre, not through the votes of an Asian bloc. We have the resources and infrastructure to go it alone and now?with the World Cup just two years away?is the time to do so. Any cricketing joint ventures with our unsafe neighbourhood will harm our commercial interests and cricket clout.

?dhiraj.nayyar@expressindia.com