I have never been a big fan of cricket, but with seemingly everyone in India and Pakistan eating and sleeping cricket over the impending clash at Mohali on March 30, I surprised myself by wearing my India-inscribed T-shirt to a friendly India-Pakistan match at an Islamabad stadium on Sunday.
While the Indian team waited and waited (and waited) for the Pakistani team’s arrival, some of India’s finest and yet not-so-young officers practised on the ground under the majestic Margalla hills.
I enjoyed the looks that came my way for flaunting my Indian credentials – first, of course, by the esteemed Bhai brigade – and then the TV camera crews, who far outnumbered the cheerleaders. On another occasion, I would have attributed their full attendance to the sumptuous lunch that was to follow the match; but in this case the tempestuous assignment at hand was certainly equally mouth-watering.
When the Indian High Commission arranged the friendly cricket match with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it had no idea it would become the cynosure of all eyes because of the build-up for the India-Pakistan semi-final in the World Cup.
Suddenly it was all important to win.
While the Indian team waited and waited (and waited) for the Pakistani team’s arrival, some of India’s finest and yet not-so-young officers practised on the ground under the majestic Margalla hills.
Two hours later, the Pakistani side had an easy win with its youngish and very much-in shape team (apparently comprising professional players roped in by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry). Cameras rolled in and there was a lot of sloganeering for the sake of the burping TV crews who had seen the Pakistani team win between hurried bites of kebabs and biryani. All Pakistanis on the ground were in celebration mode and did their best to rub in their win.
I recently read a compilation of comments by a Pakistani blogger on how Indians were conspiring to win: a) Indians are good at black magic; just see how their Pundits put an amulet under the Mohali pitch; b) The Mohali pitch has been developed to assist the Indian players; c) Pakistanis will lose the match because they know Indian crowd will beat the hell out of our players if they win the game; d) RAW conspiring to use Indian bookies to bring down Pakistani team.
And they say the game of cricket is a winner!
Haha, great post! Cricker fever is sweeping both countries!
ReplyDeleteThe hype is sickening. What do the people in India or Pakistan gain from a win? Nothing!
ReplyDeletenice post :-)
ReplyDelete@Ajay: we do gain something, i.e. happiness at seeing our team do well :)
Thanks all.
ReplyDeleteMehmal, good to see you here :)
I hope the black magic works... Remember how they used it in '84?? Guess they lost the mantra.. hope they find it this time round.
ReplyDeleteObsessive mom, it better work!! :)
ReplyDeleteMehmal
ReplyDeleteWatching sports should be like reading a book or watching a movie. The ending may not be to one's liking but that doesn't take away from the story.
People are behaving like it's a war. It's not! Reading some of the hate messages on FB, I wish there was a way that both teams could lose!
Ajay, well said :)
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHA the reasons in the end were so obviously true, kudos to you for understanding the majority so well.
ReplyDeleteHehehe... you dared alot to wear that India T-shirt out in that match... :-P
ReplyDeleteBut i shud say that INDIA VS PAK match is gr8 thing to watch....
But the hate messages, the filth nd dirt some people do on social sites, really sad to see that... its a game, nd team who played better has to win... SO y this hate... These games should be utilised to bring people together...
But We Humans... We can't change... ;-)
cute blog masshhhallah...
ReplyDeletepls pls keep going.. it makes me light when I read ur blog....congratulation on having such a good sense of H and a very good writing skills... alhamdulillaha..
You obviously do talk about the Pakistani blogger making silly statements but completely forgot to mention how crude and disgusting the Indian media was towards the Pakistani cricketers. As someone who was present in Mohali for the match the Hindustani public was only a tad bit better in their hospitality. It's interesting to read how you guys present yourselves as victims of sorts in Pakistan. HA HA gets a bit much at times....No??
ReplyDeleteThanks all....Sanam, too, for stopping by!! :D
ReplyDelete