Indo-Pak Cricket Diplomacy: a farce
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The much talked about cricket diplomacy between India and Pakistan was supposed to break the ice between the two countries. But did it do that?
The match meant a ‘war’ for most of the people on both sides of the border. Right from the rickshawallah to the bureaucrat on both sides wanted the other side defeated. The only thing that the match spread was ‘hatred’.
It did raise much interest in the both the nations…to such an extent that Manmohan Singh invited the Pakistani PM to come over. But was it a good occasion to talk peace? What can you talk when you know one of the teams would loose?
Moreover, were both the nations expecting a sportsman spirit on the ground. NO. They wanted their teams to blast the other. There was no love…no peace. It was pure hatred and competition on everybody’s mind.
Why do we then call it diplomacy? It is the biggest forum to humiliate each other. Each boundary or a six or a wicket is a humiliation of the other country…be it Pakistan or India.
If the PM was so much interested in Indo-Pak peace through cricket…he should have spoken up when the entire Pakistani team was excluded from the IPL auctions. Some of the best players in international cricket were sidelined just because of their nationality.
Don’t read too much into my thoughts above…All I want to say is why this hypocrisy about a ‘public mud slinging between both countries’ - why call it diplomacy.
I would be very happy if as a diplomatic effort an India-Pakistan match is kept with mixed teams. How about Akmal and Tendulkar opening the batting for one team and Sehwag and Hafeez for the other.
Every boundary, six or a wicket in this match would be a diplomatic effort, making every Pakistani and Indian citizen think. That match would spread love. And that might be a good forum for the PM to invite the Pakistani counterpart.
That would be called cricket diplomacy if I am correct.
To know more of my views on Pakistan. Visit my exclusive blog on Pakistan called 'Pakistan Musings'
