FINALLY, AN INDO-PAK SERIES!!!...

I don’t know if others share my sentiment, but I, for one am rejoicing at the news that we finally have a cricket series with our age-old rivals, Pakistan. It is one of the most intense rivalries in all of sports. There is something in an India-Pakistan match that gives people an adrenaline rush. At no point of time in any situation does one find the kind of excitement that surrounds an Indo-Pak match. The decibel levels in the stadium are deafening and just the atmosphere gives fans an impression that they are about to witness something special.

A rivalry that is perhaps even greater than the Ashes, matches contested between the two countries are of high intensity and the atmosphere from start to finish is extremely tense. Players of both teams find themselves under additional pressure in such matches and the expectations are phenomenal. A defeat for either side is unacceptable for the respective fans and players face serious repercussions for underperforming. An ordinary match with nothing much to lose for either side is made into a larger-than-life encounter simply because of the teams involved. Most Indian fans vote for Pakistan when asked who their favourite team is who they would like to see India take on. Probably, the best phrase to describe the atmosphere and the attitude of the fans is ‘excitement personified’.

However, Indo-Pak cricket has a dark side to it. Amidst all the excitement and passion, the stakes are so high, that a loss for either side, which is inevitable, is often met with communal violence in retaliation. It is indeed acts of such foolish nature that have contributed to decreasing confrontations between the two countries on the field. Numerous such instances have occurred in the past, with some people even losing their lives in the process. Such acts of immaturity and foolishness ultimately affect the game of cricket and its loyal, enthusiastic fans, whose thirst for the game is never quenched. However, it was the 26/11 attack in 2008 that served as the final blow as India severed all cricketing ties with Pakistan. Pakistan’s tour of India in late 2007 was the last time the two played in a bilateral series. Since then, they have met only in world tournaments and other multi-nation series, such as the Asia Cup.

However, after much consideration and numerous talks, the two cricket boards have finally agreed to resume cricketing ties as Pakistan tour India for a brief limited-over series between December, 2012 and January, 2013, with the first encounter scheduled for Christmas Day. So, let’s hope that at least this time around, fans of both sides take this in the true spirit of a sportsman and accept defeat gracefully. This upcoming series is being viewed by many as a revival of Indo-Pak cricket. So, on an occasion when Indo-Pak cricket is reborn, let’s all celebrate and hope that this great tradition lives on……