Sumayya Chawla | PKKH Editorial Team
The great ‘Aman Ki Asha’ inspired love affair between Pakistan and India has just been hit by a bus and chances are that it won’t survive. This came as all of the 11 Pakistani cricketers, most of them from the T20 Worldcup winning side last year were kept out of the third edition of the Indian Premiere League including all-rounder Shahid Afridi who was the highest rated player expected to be the most expensive. This is truly astonishing given that Pakistan is the reigning World Twenty20 champion, and their exclusion devalues the entire competition. What a huge loss for cricket and what utter disappointment for millions of fans. Given that the World Champions are not to be seen in action, it is only logical to say that this makes the IPL anything but ‘World Class’.
Despite the great love story being sold to the people of Pakistan and India by their respective media, there is still not enough love in the world that can hide the hypocrisy and two-facedness that has always characterized India’s dealing with her neighbour. This is just the icing on the cake. It is also very interesting to note that despite the violent attacks on Indian nationals on Australian soil, and the threats issued by the militant Hindu extremist outfit Shiv Sena against Australians playing in India, the Indians were more than happy to have a love-in with the Aussies at IPL. One cannot help but think that this says a lot for the Indian national pride and sense of solidarity with their counterparts being humiliated and abused by the Australians.
Given the threats being issued by Hindu fanatics against foreign players visiting India, it is perhaps a really good thing that Pakistani players are not going to be put in a position where their lives might be at risk from extremist elements and religious fanatics. While the great Bollywood soap opera called ‘Aman ki Asha’ meets an unhappy yet predictable ending, Pakistanis must now realize that the only ‘goodwill gestures’ they will ever receive from across the border are; covert terrorism on its land, caskets of Pakistani prisoners tortured to death in Indian jails for overstaying visas, and poorly disguised threats of war.
UPDATE: Shahid Afridi, Captain of Pakistan’s T20 Team has blasted the IPL over today’s debacle, calling it a carefully orchestrated ‘insult’ to the Pakistani nation and vowing never to participate in the competition in future. Shahid Afridi, who led Pakistan to last year’s T20 World Championship in England, was expected to be the most expensive player in today’s bidding before Pakistani players were sensationally snubbed.
No comments:
Post a Comment