ICC World Cup 2011 - Aman ki Asha from Mohali as India takes on Pakistan in semi-final

As the subcontinent dances to the music of cricket, the battle drums can be heard from Mohali when India and Pakistan lock horns in the mother of all cricket battles – the showpiece event of the 2011 World Cup.

The thrill, excitement and drama in an India-Pakistan game are unsurpassed, given the troubled past of the two nations. Recent events like the 26/11 attacks have been a blow to the relationship between the two countries on many fronts, including the game of cricket. And in the result blame game, the game of cricket became a casualty. The world of cricket was deprived of seeing heart-stopping battle of skill and will between Sachin Tendulkar and Shoaib Akhtar, Virender Sehwag and Umar Gul, Yuvraj Singh and Shahid Afridi. And also deprived was the opportunity to foster peace and restore normalcy between the two nations through the medium of cricket.

Are the players motivated by the hate and hype which fans from India and Pakistan are harboring? The truth is players from both the sides are closer to each other off the field than with players from other international cricket teams. They may slug it out to the hilt on the field of play, but off it, they jell as friends – many of whom speak the same lingo as well. Much like it is for millions of Indians and Pakistani who live abroad. They have much more in common with each other than with the English or Americans or South Africans – the countries in which they co-exist. Some of the fondest memories Pakistani cricketers have are of the times that they have toured India and of the love and affection of the Indian teams. The same goes with the Indian team.

If the Kolkata crowd was stupid in 1999, the standing ovation to the Pakistan cricket team by Chennai cricket fans – after Pakistan had beaten India in an epic battle – left the cricketing world speechless. India’s outstanding success in 2004 earned enough praises and they were showered with love wherever they went. There were mini battles of words on the field, but they ebbed away with the winds of love and affection.

The longer the fans bang the drums of war, the longer they will demonize each other. The sooner they dance together, the more the trust and goodwill. We must allow the players to play without subjecting them to needless pressures and sit back and enjoy the epics painted on the cricket canvas.

If Pakistan wins on the green canvas of Mohali, let them be applauded in the true spirit of cricket. And if India loses, let their fans not get wild on the Men in Blue. The same should hold true if the results were otherwise.

An India-Pakistan match is not war. It’s a game which just scripts epics and thrillers. It’s a way to bring together the brilliant talent of the two nations in the world cricket, a way to unite two nations torn by a history of wars. Brothers may fight, but still they are brothers after the fight.

Let Pakistan convey the message of love in India, and let India hug their brothers across the border with love and affection. Let peace prevail in India and Pakistan through cricket. Let fans not be intoxicated by doubts and rumours. Let Mohali send a message of peace, goodwill and harmony. May the best team win.

Note: This article has been published in Cricket Country on 27/03/2011 http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/aman-ki-asha-from-mohali-as-india-takes-on-pakistan-in-semi-final-1504

Thank You

Faisal Caesar