Cricket: An obsession for India & Pakistan

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 25 February 2025 What makes Indians and Pakistanis so euphoric and ecstatic when it comes to an India-Pakistan match at any level? Now when India comprehensively defeated Pakistan at ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai, Indians are delirious and Pakistanis are disheartened. Since I read Pakistani Urdu dailies online, it amuses me no end when readers and even sports journalists bring in Allah and religion. The same happens in India. A vernacular newspaper, published from UP, is of the view that because of the ongoing Maha Kumbh, India won this match. The broadsheet conveniently ignored the fact that many people have died during this Maha Kumbh. The point is: Sports, especially cricket, must be kept away from religion and god. The overzealous reactions of Indians, when India defeated Pakistan, show the level of immaturity. The late Rajan Bala and Omar Qureshi, two legendary cricket scribes, believed that the rivalry between India and Pakistan on a cricket ground was not sporting or healthy. It was pathological and acrimonious which was against the spirit of a gentleman's game. By the way, Omar Qureshi was arguably Pakistan's greatest English commentator. Those who really love cricket are not bothered about which team wins or loses. It's the game that matters to the serious followers of cricket. We've much better ways to show our love for the country. Why does it have to be so embarrassingly demonstrative every time India wins? Why does media go gaga over an India and Pakistan cricket match? West Indian cricket scribe Sir C L R James wrote that cricket united the Caribbean islands into a cohesive unit that beat the world during the halcyon days of West Indies cricket. He further wrote, "Cricket unites. It never separates. "For that matter, sports unite. They never separate. Agreed, India and Pakistan will never unite. But both can retain the spirit of cricket by playing it sportingly. The people of both the country must also contribute to making it a healthy and happy contest. The erstwhile Brabourne Stadium in Bombay had a board at the entrance. Inscribed were the words on it: Enjoy the game without bothering about the result. This must be the slogan for the Indian and Pakistani fans. People of both the countries are obsessed with cricket. Obsession is an extreme behaviour that leads to bitterness. Pakistani cricketers and people must stop invoking Allah before every match. The over-religious cricketers offering Namaazon the pitch is perhaps the most off-putting spectacle on a cricket field. A trend, started by Inzamam ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi, has become a religiously regular fixture, nay, a fixation. Former cricketers of Pakistan like Majid Khan, Sadiq Muhammad, Wasim Bari, Iqbal Qasim, among others were also devout Muslims but they didn't flaunt their religiosity in public. In fact, Imran Khan even flouted it. It's just a game. Why should you be so serious about it? Play and forget. … A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/cricket-obsession-india-pakistan/d/134717 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism