Pak finally on way home

Two Islamabad diplomats to help investigations, coroner8217;s inquest tomorrow

Cricketers are in the habit of calling the large wooden boxes that contain their gear as coffins. For the uninitiated, the news about Pakistan not travelling with the coffin could sound like a case of missing baggage, but with the murder investigation of a coach on, it is an eerie and morbid scenario.

The talking point about this evening8217;s Jamaica-London-Pakistan flight is about the 8216;missing members8217; of the tour party. By a strange coincidence and a twist of fate, just last month when the Pakistan landed at Port-of-Spain the point of debate about that Pakistan-London-Trinidad flight was once again the 8216;missing members8217; of the tour party. Questions were asked of captain Inzamam-ul Haq about the reasons for dropping Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

Now, before flying out, the team is being questioned about a far more complex issue. A murder.

This Pakistan campaign has seen accidents being just at almost every corner. At their first warm-up game versus Canada the game had to be stopped for an hour as heavy winds had the sight screen stumble on to the field. The next game, against South Africa, was almost called off because of the wicked wicket, with balls taking off from odd length spots.

Then, with no net session scheduled, the Pakistan players were getting ready for a morning at the beach but a shrill alarm and evacuation orders meant there was a fire threat in the hotel. That was Port-of-Spain.

Having landed in Jamaica, an innocuous practice session saw another freak accident, as a ball bounced awkwardly and broke bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed8217;s nose.

Then, of course, came the on-field disasters. The defeat to Ireland started a chain of events, going from bizarre to morbid, with the coach8217;s murder by strangulation, followed by the resignation of the captain and PCB chairman.

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile, it has been leant that two senior Pakistani diplomats are arriving here to negotiate with the government and help with the investigation. The coroner8217;s inquest starts Monday.

In Montego Bay, the team prepared to board their flight back home, adds agencies. Yesterday the players submitted their DNA samples to Jamaican police probing the murder.

Jamaican authorities gave permission for players and team members to leave the island but ordered that Woolmer8217;s body remain, pending the coroner8217;s inquest.

Pakistan team manager Talat Ali said his players were 8220;relieved8221; to be going home. 8220;They8217;re looking forward to going home. And I think that Bob will always be missed. You know, he did a tremendous job for us,8221; Ali said.