The Magic of Cricket

Image courtsey: Simon Howden

To say that Indians are cricket enthusiasts is probably an understatement- calling them fanatics or zealots is nearer the mark! This was well borne out by the near curfew conditions that prevailed throughout the country on Wednesday evening because of the India vs. Pakistan World Cup semifinals at Mohali.

Similar curfew-like sights welcomed folks inside every office as more work stations were vacant than were occupied. The floors wore a deserted and forlorn look and occasional excited screams and yelps coming from the cafeteria or break-out areas told their own tale. There were fewer smoke breaks and much team spirit and bonhomie was evident both inside and outside the office premises. What a great atmosphere- full of positive energy and excitement!

India and Pakistan cricket matches have always generated more speculation, more conjecture and more excitement- in short more FUN than any other sport. This is one sport that encourages mutual benevolence and magnanimity between the two rival nations. So even though most Indians are in seventh heaven because of the outcome of the game, there are no hard feelings between the players and people of the two nations.

Sports can be a great unifying force and our politicians and bureaucrats need to see the importance of this opportunity. Connecting with a hostile neighbor through the promotion of sports can be very rewarding. India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s gesture to invite Yousuf Raza Gilani to watch the match was both warm and spontaneous. They were able to use “cricket diplomacy” and build an environment conducive to resume bilateral talks that were marred by the 28/11/2008 incident. Their informal sharing of enclosure to watch the game together will open up fresh avenues to connect at the apex level. Amongst a lot of other gaffes and embarrassments that the PM has been forced to face in recent times, this was one thing that he did right and our men in blue did well to uphold his and the country’s honor!