India, Pakistan and sport’s ability to transcend boundaries

 Today is the 14th of October 2023. In a few hours, India play Pakistan in the cricket World Cup. In Ahmedabad. 

I am writing this from  Hyderabad. 

Hyderabad is the city where the Pakistan cricket team spent the past two weeks for their practice matches and the two World Cup matches before moving to Ahmedabad , for the match of the World Cup on the 14th of October . India vs Pakistan.

From the moment they stepped in , the people of Hyderabad cheered for them. At the airport , on the bus to the hotel, at the nets , in the restaurant, and , in the cricket match .

Pakistan played four matches in Hyderabad . There were no spectators allowed for the first match as it coincided with Ganesh Visarjan, a festival  celebrated all over the city . The second practice match saw Pakistan put up a good batting performance, but eventually lost.

In between , the team visited Jewel of Nizam,  a restaurant overlooking the Osman Sagar lake , and had Hyderabadi cuisine for dinner. Another evening, the team visited Peshawar, a restaurant serving cuisine from the north west frontier.

The World Cup started with the match against the Netherlands , and there was expectancy in the air. The Netherlands  team had three of players of Indian origin - Sai Teja  Nidamamuru, born in nearby Vijaywada and speaking Telugu, was one of them. His extended family had come over to support him. The stands were not full.

Of the people who were there, most were looking for exciting cricket and hence, cheering for Pakistan. They wanted to see a big hundred from Babar Azam, and real fast bowling from Shaheen Shah Afridi. Pakistan won quite easily in the end and everyone was happy.

Then came the most anticipated match for all of us in Hyderabad - Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka. Hyderabad does not have any India match in the World Cup and this was perhaps the most competitive game scheduled here.

And what a game it turned out to be . Sri Lanka scoring 344, and Pakistan knocking it right back and setting a World Cup record for the highest chase .

During the game , the crowd was fully supportive of good cricket . When the Sri Lankan charge was led by Mendis, the crowd was happy. When Pakistan fought back with good bowling in the final overs of the Sri Lankan innings  , the crowd was happy as well.

It was in the second innings that things got even more exciting. Everyone was happy when Imam Ul Haq was dismissed, because it got Babar Azam to the crease. Huge chants of Babar, Babar rent the air. He started off in style, but soon got out. Babar Azam’s wicket was a huge disappointment for the crowd. Some said - Kya Babar Bhai, hum century dekhna chahte they (What Babar, we wanted to see a century from you).

Pakistan fought back , with Abdullah and then Rizwan. When Rizwan carried on despite his injury and cramps, he got the whole crowd rooting for him .

When the match was evenly poised in the middle overs , The DJ in the stadium said - Jeetega bhai Jeetega, letting the crowd to complete the rest. A loud roar went up- Pakistan jeetega.

It was a surreal moment . A crowd in India chanting Pakistan jeetega .

All four centuries in the match were cheered. Rizwan’s century met with the loudest cheers . In the over break, the DJ played the song ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’. The crowd loved the beats.

Many people in the Indian blue jersey were dancing to Rizwan ‘s sixes . Most had Virat 18 printed on their T-shirts, some had Rohit 45, and a few Hardik 33. They were all loving the fabulous cricket put up by Rizwan and co.

When the match ended with Pakistan Pulling off a record chase , the crowd went into a delirium. The Pakistan players were also taken overcome with this kind of reception.

I was transported back to 2004, Lahore. The time I was at the Gaddafi stadium , for the India- Pakistan series . I was in the blue India t-shirt. India won, we cheered . In spite of Pakistan losing,  many Pakistanis at the stadium came up and congratulated us . India was cheered everywhere. People came up, wanted to talk to us, invited us for dinner, wanted to talk to get an understanding of life in India

Something similar was on display here. Sri Lanka played good cricket. They were appreciated. Pakistan did  one better. They were absolutely adored.

The scene at the stadium once again reinforced the power of sport , the power of its ability to transcend boundaries, to transcend politics. Sport enabled thousands of people to cheer for courageous performance, for going beyond the ordinary.

All of it was In full display at Hyderabad.

Next stop for the world cup, for both India and Pakistan, is Ahmedabad. It is India vs Pakistan on the 14th of October.  Today. 

May we have a great game, with every player doing their best and spectators getting full entertainment .

And may India win