The two countries look at cricket matches differently. While India would be busy making a sincere attempt at improving bilateral ties, the Pakistani side would always be seen preparing for a religious war on and off the field
India defeated Pakistan in their first Asia Cup 2022 clash. AP
The India-Pakistan relationship has had some clear constants for the past several decades — bilateral tensions, periods of frequent ceasefire violations, failed diplomatic efforts and an overstated focus on the so-called cricket diplomacy. Cricket diplomacy itself goes back to the 1980s. Several attempts were made, mostly by Indian politicians, to use cricket as a tool for improving bilateral relations. It was hoped that regular cricket matches and series would somehow resolve contentious issues, and bring the two sides on the same page. However, it has been a spectacular failure till now, and the last two India-Pakistan contests explain exactly why cricket diplomacy cannot work between the two countries.
Attempts at cricket diplomacy
It all started in the 1980s, when Pakistani military dictator Zia-ul-Haq visited India to watch a cricket match between India and Pakistan. For the liberal intelligentsia in India pinning its hopes on an unlikely diffusion of India-Pakistan tensions, Zia’s arrival in India signalled the beginning of the so-called cricket diplomacy.
Later, the Vajpayee government resorted to cricket diplomacy after years of strained ties due to the 1999 Kargil war and a spate of Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks in India. Forgetting the attack on India’s Parliament and the Kandahar hijack episode, the Indian cricket team visited Pakistan for a bilateral series in 2004 and the government seemed keen on projecting it as a goodwill gesture. Thereafter, in April 2005, Gen Pervez Musharraf visited India on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s invitation.
Between 2004 and 2007, several bilateral series were organised between the two teams. It wasn’t as if Pakistan-sponsored terrorism had abated, but the lobby pushing for peace talks started arguing that political issues should not affect cricket events and engagements. It was only after the 26/11 terror attack that organising bilateral cricket engagements between the two sides became more or less unacceptable. India-Pakistan contests therefore got limited to a solitary series and match-ups in multi-team events.
So, despite all the euphoria built around cricket diplomacy, it has turned out to be nothing more than a spectacular failure. This is where the last two on-field engagements between India and Pakistan come under scrutiny.
The sharp contrast in last two games
After India won the latest, nail-biting contest against Pakistan, the cricket team showed a sense of humility that should follow a victory. There were no insulting or provocative celebrations on display. The team displayed professionalism and treated their Pakistani counterparts like any other team.
The political establishment too seemed quite reasonable. There were no communal remarks from any of the ministers or ruling party’s spokespersons. The team was congratulated for an ideal start to its Asia Cup campaign but there was no real intention to insult, annoy or berate the Pakistani cricket team or Pakistan in general. This is exactly how the winning side should react if sports diplomacy has to succeed.
In sharp contrast, Pakistan had reacted in a brash and uncouth way after winning the T20 World Cup contest against India last year. Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan was spotted offering namaz during the drinks break and former Pakistan fast-bowler Waqar Younis said watching him: “Offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him.”
Then Interior Minister of Pakistan Sheikh Rasheed projected the cricket victory as a ‘victory for Islam’. In a viral video, Rasheed also claimed that the sentiments of all Muslims across the world, including those in India, were with the Pakistani team during the match. In fact, Bazid Khan, former Pakistani cricketer and an official commentator selected by the ICC for the World Cup 2021 even hurled the ‘kufr‘ or infidel slur at the Indian team. This reflected the hate slurs that the minority communities have to face in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on a daily basis.
A religious war cannot bring peace
Talking about things like ‘victory for Islam’, ‘kufr’, observing ‘namaz in front of Hindus’, etc, cannot bring peace or even foster people-to-people ties. And such remarks didn’t come from the fringe elements either. Veteran cricketers, official commentators and top-ranking ministers were the ones making such remarks. There was even an attempt to drive divisions in the Indian society on former Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed’s part.
The two countries look at cricket matches differently. While India would be busy making a sincere attempt at improving bilateral ties and heaping praise on the likes of Imran Khan, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, the Pakistani side would always be seen preparing for a religious war on and off the field. The last two games have clearly exposed the sharp contrast between the two sides.
The author is a columnist who writes about international affairs and developments in the defence sector. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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