Cricket: Playing on after Peshawar tragedy sits uncomfortably after Hughes

Pakistani batsman Younis Khan was raised near Peshawar. Photo / AFP

Pakistan could not afford to call off today's fourth ODI against New Zealand, despite the shock and revulsion at the Peshawar terror attack.

The decision to proceed was purely pragmatic. Pakistan is not a wealthy cricket nation. It could not afford to do otherwise. Sponsors and broadcasters must be appeased and they can be a heartless bunch who operate solely by the deal-is-a-deal code.

But remember this: a couple of weeks back a day of test cricket was postponed 24 hours due to New Zealand's reluctance to play on in the wake of Phillip Hughes' death in Sydney.

Now, around 140 children and teachers have been massacred by the Taliban at a school in Peshawar. It is a city close to the heart of several Pakistan players, notably the champion batsman Younis Khan, and experienced seamer Umar Gul. But the cricket must go on.

Something doesn't square here.

One argument might have been that as the cricket is taking place several thousand kilometres away it should not impact as hard on the Pakistan players as if this series was happening within Pakistan's borders.

But then Hughes was not a New Zealander, yet several players knew him well and were clearly affected by what was a cricket accident.

An alternative argument could be that the sooner players get on with their core business the better. But only the Pakistan players know what is in their minds.

New Zealand Cricket issued an early statement that they would support the Pakistan board in whatever course it chose. There were options worth considering, and perhaps they were:

Put the game back one day, and play the last two ODIs on consecutive days in Abu Dhabi, as no travel would have been involved;

Simply call off one of two remaining games;

Look at squeezing in a third ODI when Pakistan arrive in New Zealand at the end of January for two World Cup leadup matches;

Or New Zealand offering to return to play the last two matches at a convenient point next year.

But no, bills must be paid, the show must go on.

Younis was born and raised in Mardan, 45 minutes drive from Peshawar in the old North West Frontier province. It's a tough territory which breeds a warrior spirit. Younis has it in spades.

If he felt sufficiently moved to say "how do you play a match when your spirit is not in the game" it would surely have struck a chord with those New Zealanders shattered by Hughes' death by bouncer.

The result of today's game, and the final match early on Saturday morning don't really matter. NZC can't be blamed for this. They would have followed Pakistan's lead. On several counts, this is a wrong decision.

The initial prognosis on New Zealand seamer Kyle Mills' groin injury is encouraging. Mills has inflammation but the injury seemed to be settling well. No date has been put on when he could return to training or bowling.

The World Cup squad will be named on January 8.