Published: Mar 09, 2016, 11:23 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 09, 2016, 12:53 PM (IST)
Despite following the drama closely that has taken place between India and Pakistan in the past six months or so, one is likely to struggle in putting it all down in writing in chronological order. India declined to play Pakistan, and in return Pakistan threatened to pull out of ICC T20 World Cup 2016. Along the way, they changed their mind and decided to participate. Dharamsala was always going to be an excellent venue, but the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister protested against the ICC World T20 2016 match; despite many efforts, it looks like India and Pakistan will not clash at one of the most picturesque venues for cricket. In hindsight, the drama is rapidly overcasting the age-old cricket cliché that at the end of it all, cricket emerges as the real winner. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Pakistan, ICC World T20 2016 match, Group 2
A few journalists took to social media to express their dilemma over travelling to Dharamsala, because late night on Tuesday, March 8, Pakistan indicated they want change in the venue. This is totally contrasting to the last statement made by BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur, who has always maintained that the game will take place as per the schedule.
During an event in New Delhi, Wasim Akram made Indians realise what his countrymen are thinking at the moment. “You will also be worried if you are touring Pakistan and any state chief minister makes such a statement,” Akram said, hoping that the game will eventually take place. ALSO READ: India vs Pakistan, ICC World T20 2016: Eden Gardens likely to host clash
Akram’s analysis is pragmatic. Time and again, cricket boards around the world have refrained sending their teams to those geographical areas which they deemed unsafe. Some of these decisions have been fair, but then there was the one last year when Australia thought it was risky to travel to Bangladesh for a two-Test series. There had been some unrest in Bangladesh, and there was a specific warning against Australians. However, with Bangladesh having successfully hosted India, Pakistan and even South Africa, many thought it was a little harsh from Australia to opt out. Many hoped that this was one-off incident.
But it was not. The ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 in Bangladesh saw Australia opting out again, and looking back at it, cricket was the loser.
Cricket lost back then, and it is losing now. Since this is an ICC tournament, neither Pakistan nor India can take a decision that could be highly perilous, and the build-up to the match has been anything but cricket. India have for long hosted many big tournaments with tremendous success, and there is definitely an element of surprise when the Pakistanis are saying they are feeling unsafe to play in Dharamsala.
Historically, almost every India-Pakistan series has been surrounded by either controversies, or even plagued by parties who have no relation whatsoever with the sport and its well-being. Shiv Sena alone has 13 different incidences of creating ruckus in India-Pakistan cricket, and for all these years this menace has gone unchecked. Recently, they barged into BCCI office thinking they will find PCB’s venerable Shahryar Khan in a bid to stop meeting between the chiefs of the two national boards.
Pakistan’s reaction may be termed tit-for-tat since India declined to play with them late 2015, but from their perspective they are absolutely right in ensuring foolproof security. PCB has suffered heavy financial losses late last year when cricket fans were robbed off another thrilling series between the arch rivals. While nothing of this sort is expected for the upcoming match, somewhere, the sport is definitely on the losing end because what is being talked about at the moment is just not cricket.
(Devarchit Varma is senior writer with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)
