Download Due to security concerns the International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned Pakistan from holding any matches of the world cup cricket.
So an alternative international cricket competition is taking place in an unusually place...A prison!
Naeem Sahoutara has the story from Karachi’s prison for young offenders.
The heavy iron gates open to reveal a scene from a stadium not a prison.
Teams of young men dressed in neat white shirts and blue trousers cheerfully, politely playing cricket against each other.
Other prisoners sit on the grass shouting encouragement to their favorite teams. Smiling prison guards watch on.
The players and spectators are prisoners serving time for crimes such as drug trafficking and murder.
Muhammad Waqas leaves the grounds after batting.
“I feel better when I am playing. When you play cricket and win you get a purpose in life!”
More than 150 inmates are involved in this prison World Cup cricket competition and today’s prison match is between Pakistani and Indian.
Kamles is the captain of the team. Like 300 other Indians at this jail, he’s serving time for illegally fishing in Pakistani waters.
“Before I was in jail I didn’t have time to play cricket because I was working all the time and spend eight to ten months at sea. Now prison feels like home as we can play cricket and also watch the real matches on television.”
In the afternoon after vocational training all the inmates move to the playground to play the world cup series matches.
The prison authorities have also provided them with a TV set to watch the real matches.
Police Superintendent Rafiq Ahmed Awan is the brains behind the competition.
“The World cup is the biggest cricket event in the world and is a highlight of the year for manyPakistanis so we wanted to create one inside the prison. We formed teams of prisoners from different countries...we have teams fromBangladesh, Afghanistan and India. So far we have held over ten matches.”
For 22-year-old Imran Ali, jail has provided a safe place to play cricket.
He is from the Swat valley in Pakistan where he says people are scared to come out of their homes due to bombs.
The local Taliban has also banned cricket in his hometown. “I’m happy now because I enjoy playing cricket.” he says.
Super intendent Rafique Ahmed Awan again.
“We are giving them life, we want to tell them how joyous life is outside than in prison. We gave them similar environment, because they might have never been given opportunities. I wish every one of them should one day become cricketer, footballer or officer. Our efforts are for this.”
Muhammad Imran’s parents are from Burma.
“I played in the Bangladeshi team against Indian. It was really fun that day. But, I would have been glad, if Burma had its own cricket team.”
The Pakistani team has won against the Indians.
Muhammad Waqas, who played for victorious team, has lessons from prison cricket.
“We all are friends. Victory or defeat is the part of life. But, games are source of people-to-people contact. And that’s very good!”
Vocabularies:
1) inmates: narapidana
2) young offenders: pelanggar hukum yang masih muda
3) politely: dengan sopan
4) vocational training: pelatihan kejuruan
5) cheerfully: dengan gembira
6) hometown: kampung halaman
7) victorious: yang menang
8) super intendent: pengawas, pemimpin, inspektur
9)serving time: menjalani hukuman
10) drug trafficking: pengedaran narkoba
Questions:
1) Where was an alternative WOrld Cup Cricket held recently and why was it held there?
2) Which teams competed and where are they are from?
3) What is the purpose of this having this event there?
4) Why do some of the players like playing there and how do they feel about the tournament?
5) The superintendent hope one the young offenders will become what?
