India v/s Pakistan - Is it Just a Game or War? Semi-final Scheduled for Tomorrow at Mohali
Posted: Tuesday, March 29, 2011
by Drunken Mystic
http://drunkenmystic.wordpress.com
Ever since I realized there was a country called Pakistan across the border and we play cricket against them, there have always been feelings of animosity, hatred and despise amongst the cricket players of the two nations. Why is there so much hatred, prejudice and hostility between the two countries? It all started from the Hindu-Muslim riots of 1947 during the Indo-Pak partition. From that day, Hindus and Muslims have been always looking at each other an eye for an eye.
India plays hockey often against Pakistan and there have not been reports of enmity on the field, although there is the usual tackling with the hockey bats on the leg to trip one another. After India defeated Pakistan in one of the Asiad games, the whole Indian and Pakistani team got together for a dinner party. In fact Rohan Bopanna, Indian tennis player and Qureshi, a Pakistani are best friends and doubles partners.
But somehow, there is always a sign of feud or quarrel or some heated exchange of words between the players of both nations when they are on the field. Why is this? This is very difficult to explain. Even in the India-Pakistan Friendship Series played a couple of years back under President Pervez Musharraf's rule there was enough exchange of words and on-field quarrel and taunting of players. Shahid Afridi tried to irritate V.V.S. Laxman - Shoaib Akhtar tried to irritate Sehwag. Yuvraj Singh even elbowed at Umar Gul and Inzamam had to interfere.
Even a Pakistani player passed some unnecessary comments at an Indian, Balaji Rao representing Canada and he immediately shot back with an abuse.
Tomorrow, again the game is going to be very intense as it is the second semi-final and Indians at large will be holding on to their straws and praying hard for a nice victory. So far, India and Pakistan have met each other 4 times in the world cup and India has defeated Pakistan every single time.
The first time the two teams played against each other in the world cup was in 1992 and it wasn't a good face-off. Then the next time it was in 1996 again and it wasn't good again as the opening batsman Aamir Sohail gestured with his bat at Venkatesh Prasad after scoring a boundary of the first ball, that he would clobber him in similar style. The next ball was a sharp in-cutter that bowled him clean.
Shoaib Akhtar had vowed he would bowl every Indian batsman for a duck in the 2003 world cup and got the opposite treatment from both Sehwag and Sachin. What will be the story tomorrow? Who is going to clobber whom? Who will bowl whom out of the game? As the expert cricketers say, "It is bowlers who win matches", will that be a scenario tomorrow for India or Pakistan?
The India - Pakistan game is definitely always a war-like situation and everybody would love to miss their work at their office, students would love to bunk their school and also housewives will be taking a day off from their chores. There will be villages, towns and cities where you will not find a single transport operating during the sensitive hours of the "war".
Every single Indian/Pakistani will be glued to the television tomorrow. It is definitely going to be a packed stadium. A 55-year old Pakistani gentleman has flown all the way from Chicago to support his country. All the Pakistani fans are in India right now as they have entered through the Wagah border. Let's just hope there is no serious brawl between the fans at the stadium. There was once a heavy fight between the Indian and Pakistani fans in England in 1999.
All I would wish is that the game is played in positive spirit and one of the teams win and yet shake hands and have "chai" or beer together.
I just have a parable to share as certainly, the India v/s Pakistan game is always more than war, more important than fighting for Kashmir.
Soon after the Pandavas had defeated the Kauravas, a man asked a Rishi, "Excuse me, do you know who won the far finally?" The Rishi replied, "I just saw a war happen. I don't know who won because I saw Krishna was fighting from both sides." Either Indians win or Pakistanis win, both are children of Ishwar and Allah.
Enjoy the game and yes, tomorrow millions of hearts will be broken while millions will be celebrating over their team's victory.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Its always more than just a game when its a match between India and Pakistan, irrespective of the sport being played, but if we are against each other, its always a War without weapons.
I remember the joy we had we India won against Pakistan in Hockey when they met last time. It was a terrific win. But somehow I get annoyed with Indians as well as those Pakistani supporters when they use foul words showing there support for the teams off the world.
After all, end of the day there will be one winner and one loser. We cant murder each other. Hope people can understand the need of being sporty themselves.
Good Luck India!!Thanks, Daksh. I know how high the feelings rise between the two nations. Actually, the manager of the Pakistani team spoke to M.S. Gill and said "You defeated us." Then Gill said, "So what, you defeated us last time." Even they took it in mutual spirit. It should be a good game and I hope India wins.
India bats first and it is a tense situation now!
Well DM,today is the tomorrow you speak of, let us know who won the game.India won the game, David. :-)
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