Like the United Nations, the ICC is well-intentioned, tries to keep peace amongst its members and fails. It is inevitable and it is foolish to expect much else. At least the UN can point to a huge and diverse group of nations within its fold but the ICC has only eight that it needs to get a consensus from. But we are such a motley group of nations, so vastly different in the way we think, and therefore do, that it is a miracle that cricket sometimes brings us together.

Sometimes in friendship, and sometimes grudgingly, we play cricket with each other and other games off the field against each other. And so it is at the moment. It is not the game that separates us but the politics of the world. Within a group of eight, we have two factions digging in their heels and not yielding an inch. Sadly, in this war of perception, of intent and ultimately, of words, no one can win. And we, travellers on this journey, look at our watch as the minutes tick away wondering if the train will ever leave the station; whether we will ever move.

From here on the ICC, like with a lot of well intentioned mediators, can only lose. Pakistan are right to say that they have done all they could have done to guarantee security. Certainly they have not been short on effort and almost everyone who has been to Pakistan, and who has been willing to embrace a different culture, has come away with stories of warmth and hospitality.

... contd.