Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar in an interview said that both India and Pakistan should play a for-television three-match ODI series to raise funds for the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the entire world.
Logistically, this seems improbable, even safety-wise for the cricketers. Akhtar’s proposal was shot down by former Indian cricket team captain Kapil Dev, who said that India doesn’t need money to fight the coronavirus crisis, but needs the authorities to work together. Dev said we don’t need to put the lives of cricketers at stake for raising money.
Enmity, not empathy
The reason why this ODI series is impossible isn’t because it is unsafe or a logistical nightmare, or because India doesn’t need money to fight the pandemic. The argument about money, doesn’t add up because more funds allow for more investment in protective equipment or in relief packages for the poor. To understand the real reason why this India-Pakistan series is not possible, read Akhtar’s statement when he proposed it.
“If Virat (Kohli) scores a hundred, we will be happy, if Babar Azam scores a hundred, you will be happy. Both teams will be winners irrespective of whatever happens on the field.”
A section of the Indian population has managed to communalise a pandemic and demonise cricketing heroes like Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh for tweeting in support of their Pakistani colleague, Shahid Afridi. This is the reason why India cannot bear to see Pakistan in any other manner than the ‘enemy’, which needs to be defeated. This new ‘patriotism’ just doesn’t allow Pakistan to be seen as any other country. Defeating Pakistan and jingoism will be more important for Indians than fighting coronavirus together.
Also Read: Don’t worry, cricket in India will survive the coronavirus disruption
The other, the enemy
India imposed a 21-day lockdown to battle Covid-19 but we had more serious stuff to attend to on Twitter — calling Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh ISI agents for commending the work Shahid Afridi was doing with his foundation and pledging support to it. To add salt to injury, Afridi tweeted that both the Singhs were pillars of support: “this bond we have shows love and peace transgresses borders when it comes to humanity especially.”
Thank you for all you support-both yourself & my brother @harbhajan_singh are huge pillars of support; this bond we have shows love & peace transgresses borders when it comes to humanity especially. Best wishes to you with your noble endeavours with @YOUWECAN #DonateKaroNa https://t.co/IVhqywdl3q
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) March 31, 2020
In the middle of a world crisis, which has crippled even the most powerful country in the world — how dare Indians extend empathy to their neighbouring country and see it as an equal.
In 2016, shortly after the Uri attacks, in a show of our patriotism, India banned Pakistani actors from Bollywood and robbed us of the delight of watching Fawad Khan Because, that is exactly what would lead to fewer terror attacks on the country.
After the 2019 Pulwama attack, which killed 44 CRPF personnel, there was a blanket ban on artists and actors from Pakistan. This must have been gratifying for singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya, who had been rallying against Pakistani singers working in Bollywood.
So instead of the soulful Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam, we are left listening to Bhattacharya.
Also Read: World Cup heroes Yuvraj & Harbhajan are ISI agents? Online trolls are just absurd
Friendly match a utopia
Leaving aside the prevailing situation, the three-match series between the two nations, which is not focussed on a jingoistic show over the outcome of the match would be a welcome change but too utopic an idea.
An example of our jingoism can be seen at the Wagah border where soldiers from both countries march up to each other and flex their muscles and flare their nostrils, while spectators jeer.
One cannot even imagine the barrage of comments Sania Mirza would have to face if she married Shoaib Malik today and not in 2010. We have even managed to call the revolutionary and romantic poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz anti-Hindu.
In the 2004 movie Lakshya, Amitabh Bachchan, who plays an Army colonel, while talking about Pakistan said, “Hum Indian army hain, dushmani mein bhi sharafat dikhate hain.“ (We are the India army and show a level of decency even while being enemies). While that may hold true in the movie and possibly for our armed forces as well, the same is far from true for our citizens.
Views are personal.
Just how old is the author? Such a ridiculous article to read. Why does she want India to be associated with a country which is murdering Indians through terrorism since 1947?
And why do these Pakistanis artists never condemn any terrorist attacks in India? Why can’t they express any solidarity when Uri and Pulwama happened?
Please grow up!
Wasn’t Pakistan always a special country for us, as in Indians, blaming it on some people who you think has communalised the “pandemic”, doesn’t make sense.
Just causally mentioning the suicide attack and showing it as an incident that led to the ban on ” Soulful artists ” is very gross and cheap tactics, considering those incidents are the brutal “killing of people”, what do you want us to do, forget about it, put on Rahet Fateh Ali Khan and say ” Walekum Salam”,
But you see fortunately or unfortunately what you so casually deem communal is generally looked upon as ” Self respect “. Ohh of course you are a journalist, you have no idea about it..
P. S : can journalist take a joke.
Get the hell out of here. We have enough money, and we have Arijit. Naam nahi suna kya !!
Where were u when these “friends” of yours carried out Mumbai attacks and lot many inhuman things, and have been doing .You can forget that, not us. Not in this lifetime. And if they need money, kindly write an article suggesting to stop all the terror camps and channelise all that money to medical system. But, you won’t do that. Utna dum ya dimaag kaha hai tumme.
Who said we Indians are delighted by Fawad’s acting, dude you aren’t representative of whole India so do act so, and yeah we won’t get along with Pakistan because we’re busy handling our own country and causes, but once covid-19 pandemic ends we’ll consider a gully tournament with Pakistan if only we get some free time, we’ve to take care of our economy which affected by the pandemic and we work hard not just play cricket to strengthen our economy and nation,l. And to be honest, the writter of this particular article sucks?????
since ms Revati is suffering listening to Abhijit instead of soulful Rahat she can go live in Pakistan permanently and listen to his voice to her hearts content.
“The Print” co-founded by editor in chief Shekhar Gupta should be banned and he should be jailed for writing such articles during these testing times. In above article he writes “….An example of our jingoism can be seen at the Wagah border…” ????. His views are JINGOISTIC. He was the person who tried compromising the Judiciarys role when the four judges gave a speech. He was standing behind. He thinks he is an intellectual messiah but he nothing but an intellectual pervert who is good an mental mastrubstion. He is fuxxxxg basxxxxxd and not fit to be called an INDIAN. Why doesn’t he leave INDIA if he feels constrained. Another MP ticket seeker who sucks baxxs.
I don’t think these writers takes facts into consideration while writing such stuff. Pseudo secularists are bane of this country who just turn a blind eye towards these wrong doers. If few Hindus beat up a muslim suddenly it is a national issue an act of terrorism communal hatred rather than a crime what about know when doctors are being beaten up and people are being spat on, just because you don’t want to see doesn’t mean it is not happening. Gujrat riots is there favourite topic of discussion but they don’t say a word on anti sikh riots or the plight of Hindus that suffered in kashmir or those suffering in these islamic countries such biase is disgusting and any word from such people is hard to digest cause clearly they are full of hate and not sympathy when they write such articles. They want our cricketers to play with and for a terroist infested country where almost whole of the sri Lankan team was wiped out. A country not preferred by any other country except for china for there vested interests and this person won’t write against China too who is doing so many atrocities against its minority in population which has been documented by good channels like bbc, vox, vice, cbsn etc. and is present in youtube. This article has no common sense as he is asking to feed those hands that will in return slit your throat.
Sure, India doesn’t support terrorism? If anything and everything bad happens it automatically points fingers at Pakistan. There are thousands, if not millions of Hindus and Sikhs living peacefully in Pakistan. For what India is doing in Kashmir, if you don’t call that an act of terrorist, then I don’t know what you would call it? Millions of Muslims have been slaughtered and still are being killed, is that justified? The India media does not help, they help brainwash the many Indians that watch them, Of course the fake news never ends! So before you point fingers at one make sure you see what your own country is doing, it’s funny how Indians blame Pakistanis or Muslims for whatever the Shite happens on this planet, but forget that the countless amount of Muslims/Kashmiris are being brutally killed doesn’t make a difference to you. Realistically you need to think before you speak
Who cares about Fawad Khan anyways
If author wants to facilitate the match between the two countries, better she must also understand, at present, globally, no cricket match is taking place due to covid-19 as safety measure.
She must be educated in the pandemic and social distancing criteria first.
Extending empathy and sympathy to a Jihadis and radicals is a lost cause.
Once you extend medical help to these ingrates while ignoring the billion plus Indians, they will get better and blow up, kill us Indians who came to their rescue.
Author’s opinion is not grounded in reality and romanticizes the peace with jihadis and radicals while ignoring the anecdotal evidences of the past.
The print is a media which work with agenda to show India down. I would ask everyone to Stop reading its article… Foreign funded donkeys come to write here who has 0 wisdom… Fools
Not a week has passed since five of our soldiers died at the hands of people who seem like friends of the author who were also according to the author “Shantidoots” sent by the Pakistanis but the unreasonable Army and irrational hatred borne out of jingoistic whatever killed them. Do you people ever make use of common sense or just blurt out random shit?
Does it require to be a Krishnan while talking anti national! Earlier some Ms Kavita Krishnan was under media glare for opposing Indian government on article 370. Or these two are sisters ( then I guess godown was bad).
The current indian government is the only reason for widening of relation between two countries other wise separation of a substantial part of the Pakistan is done by India, every body knows. But even than trade, sports, literature etc remained continue. Once the present indian government removes, good days will come again.
We indians are in safe hands of Modi. Anti indians are going through tough time and same will continue till they die or go out of India. Time has come to teach a lesson to Anti indians. Boycot the business with these people, hunger will teach the good lesson.
India has to talk to Pakistan in the language they understand. By and large Muslims and specially pakistanis don’t understand language of co-existence. So there must not be any room for helping them.
Pakistan issue has no relevance whatsoever in relation to Covid-19. It is ludicrous to think of a cricket match when in we are engaged in an unprecedented war against the coronavirus outbreak. To put it mildly, the article has no logic or rationale and its inclusion on this website is totally unwarranted. To put it bluntly, the author seems to be utterly stupid and the article is a useless waste of time .Period.
Very sane article in these testing times. It is simply sad to see the level of misunderstanding the common Indians have been brainwashed into. It is very easy to get facts, sadly, political mafias in both the countries prefer to brew hatred to further their agendas, and common people follow like sheep. People who think war is the solution are simply so stupid I am sure they wouldn’t realize what’s wrong with their mentalities were they to lose their entire families in any war God forbid. Get rid of the hatred!!
With all due respect, contrarian views are welcome but when the view is steeped in ignorance (and sheer stupidity) then it becomes difficult to accept it (i.e. this hollow article). Not all the commentators here are jingoists or hyper-nationalists, and in-fact are Print readers (and fans) who are just appalled by the fact that Print team allowed this Whatsapp aunty rant to be broadcast on their platform. No one disagrees that war/ hatred is not good or is a perfect solution, but when you have a neighbor like Pakistan what ought we to do? 70 years of history has taught us one thing about Pakistan (any by that we mean the Deep State (ISI, Military and Mullahs) – THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED. And if you need independent (liberal) proof, just read what Christine Fair, Hussein Haqqani (and our beloved Shekhar Gupta) et. al. have to say on this issue. Aman ki Aasha is great, but the path to that leads through exposing what a rotten and failed (toxic) state and society Pakistani deep state have made of their country – and this includes rejecting hollow claims of their cricketers/ artists, where what we as peace loving Indians want from them is to FIRST speak against the tyranny that Pakistani Military and Mullahs have unleashed on the Sub-Continental soil. Rest can follow (including cricketing ties).
Idiotic article by a non sense journalist on payrolls of isi .Even during Corona time Pakistani terrorists try to infiltrate LOC & 5 Commandos r killed in action along with 5 terrorists.pakistani army is still violating ceasefire in this times.the author conveniently forgot those foul tactics.
I disagree with Article. Even during this pandemic Pak has sent infiltrators in J&K and also boycott SAARC COVID conf. How can you expect a sane indian to support it? We can’t have unlimited patience