I could’ve perhaps waited for a few hours more until the match between India and Pakistan was over, before writing my yesterday’s post ‘Cricket, the primary religion.’ Pakistan battered India in both swing and strike, causing an embarrassing defeat, our arch-rivals snatching a 10-wicket victory with 13 balls to spare.
The city clubs were full, a few even permitting gongs and bells. Many movie halls raked in the moolah by selling tickets at a premium for full screen viewing of the match. The Covid timings permitted watching only a part of the game as all had to hurry back to their residences before the closure timings neared. Pakistan was an underdog against India, the betting syndicates offering sums but causing a deep hole in their pockets. The stadium at Dubai was full, all impact of Covid momentarily forgotten.
What a beginning it was with Rohit yielding to a Pak missile Shaheen Afridi with scoreboards yet to register a run. Soon Rahul joined Rohit to the stands, the score not even in double figures. The mood in India was palpably one of disgust. Those predicting a sure Pakistan loss had become quiet as the game was not played on a Friday. The Indian runs scoring was like in test cricket, slow and by singles. We were lucky to cross the 150-mark in a slow pitch. After creating enormous pressure on the Indian batting side, the Pakistanis breezed with a win with 13 balls to spare and ten wickets in hand. Pakistan tabloids will cry hoarse, ‘Babar’s conquest of India.’ All domestic ills plaguing Pakistan would be forgotten for the next few days, much to the comfort of their PM Imran Khan, their former cricket captain.
Cricket is unpredictable and is merely a game, but only when India plays with other countries and not with Pakistan. With Pakistan, it has always been a test of nerves. The pressure is written on every player’s face and every person watching the game live or on the TV.
Like most other Indians, I rued our loss and could be sulking or barking at my wife or colleagues in the next few hours for no reason. So much has cricket permeated our souls that we have started to believe India’s world dominance, if not militarily or economically, but certainly in cricket. Why in the world did we not invoke gods properly or do some yagnas to propitiate the holy spirits? Anyway, this too will be forgotten, and we shall be back with gongs and cymbals for the next clash, the clash of the cricketing titans.
A few at-home are happy that they were spared another edition of the ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ had we won!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
