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.
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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.
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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.
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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.