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(Attn Eds: Following is a special article written for IANS by George Mathew,
the director of the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi)
India-Society/Sports-Cricket* (750 words)
Where politics has failed, cricket may succeed (SPECIAL ARTICLE)
By George Mathew
India's overwhelming victory over Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup in South
Africa has been received back home with unprecedented enthusiasm and
fanfare. People from all walks of life have joined the celebrations.
For about eight hours or so, urban life in India came to a standstill on Saturday when the match was on. In New Delhi and other cities, it was like Diwali with the bursting of firecrackers when the team won. The celebration continued well into Sunday.
The euphoria bordered on hysteria, treated almost as though India had won the World Cup. Defeating Pakistan meant more than winning cricket's biggest tournament.
Sure ! Don't forget that in the last World Cup while India was again beating Pakistan at cricket, the Pak army was fighting the Kargil war with India. A sporting win like that has a big psychological impact.
What was, however, lost sight of was the fact that Pakistan captain Waqar
Younis too praised the Indian team. It was refreshing to see each Pakistan
team member shaking hands with Indian players on the field as well as in the
dressing room.
Sure and it was even more refreshing to note that the Pakistani players displayed immense unsporting behaviour when they refused to be present at the award ceremony straight after the match. They will probably go into the records as the only team to have displayed such a boorish and cheap attitude. When their captain was questioned about this, Waqar went on to say that there is no "rule" which demands that the team should be present at the award ceremony. Of course, there is no rule. It's just an accepted norm of normal, polite sporting behaviour. But how can that be known to a country that thrives on fundamentalism and hate ?
In the present case, a diabolic image of Pakistan is being sought. Pakistan is being projected an evil-incarnate.
There is no need to project. The facts more than prove it.....after all the state of the world today can be attributed or linked in some way or the other to the terrorism emanating from Pak.
Today India cannot play cricket in Pakistan and the vice versa.
India is slowly but>steadily moving away for divisive identities.
We tend to forget that some of the best cricket players this country has
produced belonged to the minority community. Zaheer Khan's and Mohammad
Kaif's contributions to our victory were equally significant, although one
should not look at the game that way. >The sum and substance of the argument
is that several primordial identities like religion, caste, language and
region disappear through cricket and the identity of nationhood for the game
comes to the fore.
This writer seems to be one of those morons who contradict their own statements from one para to another. If India is "slowly but steadily moving away for divisive identities" why question Kaif and Zahir's contributions. Kaif is real solid and India was most pleased to see him promoted up the batting order. And Zahir is fiery and exciting to watch. A big asset to India. Just because they are Muslim why single them out to observe their contributions? There are plenty of Muslims in the Indian army. We forget that when we get down to this cheap mentality.
Cricket unites our two peoples. Resumption of cricketing ties would be the best way to reduce tension between India and Pakistan. Where politics has failed, cricket may succeed.
We have tried that before and it didn't work. If anything things got worse. Cricket cannot amend ties. Compulsive hostility is a mind set that cannot be changed via sport or music. Especially when there is no will to change that from across the border.
And why does India get this preaching everytime. How many British or Kiwis have Zimbabwe/Kenya killed ? None probably and yet they refused to play in those countries. How many Indians have Pakistan killed ? More than a million for sure ! So why is no one advocating cricketing ties to Britain and New Zealand ? Why preach to India alone ?
Sunila
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