Kasab hanged:Mumbai a jinxed venue for England cricket team?

26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab's execution to affect England's Test series. Sounds weird? Read on to know details.

England cricket team had witnessed several incidents which had made their India tours unforgettable. Beginning from Indira Gandhi assassination to Bhopal gas tragedy, England cricket tour had experienced the heat. Now, since India has invited another controversy after hanging Kasab, will it affect the current Indian tour of the team?

England in India (1984)

It can be recalled that the England Cricket Team had toured India in the year 1984, when Indira Gandhi was assassinated and Bhopal disasters took place, had echoes of tragedy.

Though they completed their tour before flying back, things weren't smooth for them.

A few hours after England arrived in India, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated, sparking a period of civil unrest which cost a thousand lives, and the team hotel became a refuge and a prison to the cricketers on tour.

If that wasn't enough, United Kingdom's Deputy High Commissioner Percy Norris, who had a cocktail party with the players at his apartment, was also shot dead which also suggested that the tour would be called off though they completed the tour, winning a Test match each at Delhi and Chennai.

India had won the first Test at Mumbai and drew the third Test at Kolkata.

If that was termed as a calamitous tour, things weren't different when England toured India in 2008.

England in India (1993)

England had also toured India in 1993 when the country had just witnessed Bombay riots that had affected the venue for their third Test against India in February 1993. Though the Test match was played at Mumbai after the tragedy, Wankhede Stadium was supposed to host the third and the final Test against England in 1993. India won the series 3-0.

England in India (2008)

England were supposed to play two Test matches, seven ODIs but abandoned the ODIs after five matches due to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

England having played the ODIs, returned home and came back to play the Test matches citing security reasons.

It is also learnt that BCCI incurred a loss of £17 million as they had to cancel the two ODIs against England, the ICC Champions Trophy and the tour to Pakistan due to the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

England returned home after losing all the five ODIs against India as the remaining ODIs were cancelled due to the terror attacks.

Moreover, the venues were shifted to Chennai and Mohali instead of Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

Now, four years after the attack, England are back in India, and the man who was arrested then during the attacks, has been hanged on Wednesday (21 Nov - five days ahead of the fourth anniversary of Mumbai terror attacks). Interestingly, England cricket Team is supposed to play their second Test match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Mumbai has been a common factor on all occasions as England were supposed to play their Test matches in Mumbai during 1984 and 2008 tours, while the second Test match against India in the four-match series is also to be played at Mumbai.

Now, with the 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab being hanged on Wednesday and England witnessing calamitous tours during their visits to India, will this have an impact on the touring England side?

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