India-Pakistan Encounters – Tale Of Diminishing Zeal?

‘Shabaash, Shabaash Wasim bhai’, Moin Khan’s routine words ring in my ears, the last ball Miandad six still haunts many Indians, memories of Basit Ali’s dogged nonchalant, bubblegum-chewing resistance refuse to die away. Sidhu’s aggressive bat-waving strut, Sachin directing Saqlain to the pavilion, Balaji’s effortless sixes, all have given credence to the great cricketing rivalry between the two neighbors.

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about how the cricketing rivalry between the two arch-rivals has lost fervor and is just another competition in the sport. And as suggested by some experts (in the media too) it’s the overdose that’s killing. While unarguably the tension and animosity have subsided in the last 4-5 years, thanks to the regular meetings of the two sides, but much is being made out of the overdose.

The current series is the 4^th in as many years, and if one recalls each one of the earlier series generated great interest among cricket lovers, the honors were shared evenly by the two sides. Since the last series a lot has happened and a lot has changed. The two teams have seen the despairing lows of the World cup and then an uncharacteristic revival of sorts at the T-20 world cup. After the T-20 final, where both the teams gave the fans an almost-perfect match for a world cup final, one would’ve imagined a rekindling of interest, if at all there was a fall.

So, what is this talk of diminishing interest? Let’s face it, fans have moved on! From looking at success in an Indo-Pak game as the be-all and end-all to enjoying the game, backing their team hard and beyond a point not fretting over the eventual winner. A case in point - the T-20 world cup final, after an enthralling battle the winner hardly mattered. Think for yourselves, when Joginder Sharma was bowling the last over, did you not think even if Pakistan wins I don’t mind for both the teams have played out of their skins?

So, if fans no longer shoot their TV sets, suffer from heart attacks or vehemently hate players from the other side and look at them as aliens, it doesn’t mean that interest in the battle on the pitch is dwindling. They’ve only grown to be appreciative watchers of the game. This welcome change seems to have mushroomed on both sides of the border. It only augurs well for the game. Cricket will never solve the Kashmir issue but at least frequent meetings are reducing the animosity like nothing else.

Agreed the just concluded ODI series failed to generate enthusiasm but the only palpable reason for that is a very lackluster Pakistani side. Pakistan came to India with series defeats in both tests and ODIs against the South Africans behind them and were naturally suffering from a low morale, it was very evident. While there were shades of the old Pakistani zing but the gargantuan abyss was only too prominent. A closely-knit and fighting Pakistani team would’ve meant the series would not just have gone down to the wire but also shut the cynics up.

While cricket between the two nations is definitely not fighting a battle for survival it sure is struggling to make an ‘Ashes’ like place in the hearts of die-hard aficionados.