There has been a long and unending debate going on in the regular media, social media, sports and the political circles about the ICC Champions Trophy going to be held in February-March 2025 in Pakistan. The main interest in the debate is about the participation of India in the tournament that India always wanted to be held in the hybrid model. While India consistently positioned itself against any tour of Team India to Pakistan for the last 16 years, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) insisted for India’s visit to its country for the coveted tournament this time. It was highly unlikely that there would be any sort of change in the policy of the State of India and also of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in this regard, however, Pakistan made a great hype to realise its long-awaited desire.
The Pakistan media, based on the statements made by the PCB, went out of gear to create hysteria about the issue. The Pakistan UTubers also added to this confusion in their country, raising false expectations of the people with a blend of ‘bravado’ on the part of Mohsin Naqvi, PCB Chairman who also happens to be the Interior Minister of the government of Pakistan. A virtual meeting of the ICC was held on 29 November, 2024 briefly, but got postponed merely after 15 minutes. It is believed that the ICC gave an ultimatum to Pakistan to take a firm stand about the tournament and the PCB ultimately agreed for the hybrid model under which all matches featuring India would be held in the UAE, including the match between India and Pakistan. The PCB also made some new proposals about which there is no response from the ICC as yet.
This is regarded as a major climb down by Pakistan by its own citizens after creating and getting involved in such a hue and cry on the issue for the past more than six months. Consequently, the common people in Pakistan feel strongly deceived by their own leaders, government and the PCB on the issue who made them believe that they would force India to follow their line. They were kept in the dark about the ground realities of the situation as usual. In the context of this huge sentiment oriented imbroglio, it is time to view this whole issue in perspective.
India-Pakistan bilateral cricket was initiated in the year 1952 but due to the 1965 war between the two countries, it stopped. Again after the 1971 war, the cricketing ties among the two didn’t resume for a number of years. Then in 1977, the President of Pakistan, Zia ul Haq took initiative to restore cricketing ties between the two nations and the cricket diplomacy between him and Morarji Desai, the then Prime Minister of India bore fruits and the bilateral cricketing ties were restored between the two nations.
The tensions between the two nations grew once again when Pakistan engaged itself in cross-border terrorism initially in the Indian state of Punjab and then in Jammu and Kashmir. Though this had a negative impact on sports, cultural and diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan, the cricketing relationship continued despite public sentiments in India on the issue. Pakistan was accused by India of blatant terror attacks within the Indian territory and there was a persistent demand in India to declare Pakistan a terrorist state. Despite all that was happening on the borders, in Kargil and also in various cities and towns of India on the front of cross-border terrorism, the bilateral cricketing tours between the two nations continued. A number of tours of the two nations to each other’s nation took place. Team India last visited Pakistan in 2006.
In 2008, on November 26, one Pakistan based terror squad entered the western waters of India and attacked Mumbai during the night. The terrorists killed hundreds of people on a railway station, famous Hotel Taj and in a Synagogue in Mumbai. A number of people both Indians and the citizens of a number of other countries got killed in the attack. There was also heavy damage to property in the attack while a number of brave security men got martyred in the action. Barring one terrorist named Ajmal Qasab, a citizen of Pakistan who was caught alive, all the other Pakistani terrorists were killed by the security forces and the police. There was strong evidence available with the government of India that established the state sponsorship of the heinous terror act by Pakistan.
The government of India placed the evidence before the world exhibiting Pakistan’s involvement. India took a principled stand of “terror and talks won’t go together” immediately after this incident of 26/11. This particular terror incident was also responsible for severing cricketing ties between the two nations and the visit by Team India to Pakistan was stopped by the then government of India. However, the Pakistan team kept on visiting India intermittently up to 2012. Thereafter, Pakistan visited India in ICC tournaments but Team India didn’t visit Pakistan in any of the international or continental tournaments. India opted for a hybrid option in 2023 and its matches were held in Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup tournament.
India has taken a position against terrorism at a geo-political level and Pakistan has been accused of harbouring wanted and dreaded terrorists in its backyard. Osama bin Laden was living in Abbottabad near Rawalpindi army headquarters and was neutralised by the US army during a night surgical strike. Pakistan has also been accused of violation of peace and ceasefire agreements by India. There is a huge public sentiment in India about the anti-India and anti-Hindu mindset and policies of Pakistan.
Though India under the new leadership of Narendra Modi as the PM, in and immediately after 2014, expressed its intent and desire to renew relationship with Pakistan including reviving SAARC, yet the state of Pakistan failed to reciprocate the gesture time and again. All initiatives taken by India were reciprocated with terrible terror attacks like in Pathankot, Uri and Pulwama besides the regular armed squarremashes on borders due to the cross border terrorism. India was forced by the events and circumstances to take a tough line in regard to Pakistan and it resulted in downgrading of diplomatic ties, normal trade relations, sports events, people to people contact followed by any sort of bonhomie at regional and international forums between the two neighbouring countries.
India as a major growing power in the new world order with a robust developing economy succeeded in its focus on improving relations with the influential nations of the world. Moreover, while as a leader, India gave a voice to the Global South nations in all its international endeavours through various forums, Pakistan kept on sulking in its own courtyard. Its isolation at the international level was the result of its own policies and deeds. India left Pakistan entirely to its own fate and marched ahead building relationships with the other countries successfully.
India’s consistent refusal to send Team India to Pakistan is in tune with the foreign policy of India and doesn’t also contradict the public sentiment in India in this regard. Then there are a number of national security concerns involved in this regard. Keeping in view the current security scenario in Pakistan which forced the Sri Lankan team to leave Pakistan amidst the ongoing tour, safety and security of the Indian team in Pakistan is also a major concern for the government of India. The state of India is conscious of the fact that nothing of the sort is done that undermines the declared foreign policy of India or that promotes the narrative of normalcy in Pakistan. It continues to believe that Pakistan is an abnormal and failed state and there is no need to promote it at the cost of the national interests in India. The Ministry of External Affairs of India has also confirmed the stand taken by the BCCI in this regard. The takeover of the ICC chairmanship by Jay Shah, the Secretary of BCCI at this point of time is an endorsement of India’s geo-political position since India considers sports as one of its biggest softpowers.
Pakistan requires to accept the ground realities and stop selling falsehood to its people. It also needs to introspect as to why it has been isolated in the international arena by the other nations. While every other nation desires to play against India and visit India for the purpose, there are visible factors that stop other teams from visiting Pakistan. There is no comparison between India and Pakistan in any field of life nor the new generation in India is interested in any sort of bonhomie with Pakistan with the mindset Pakistan has developed over the last seven decades. India is a growing sports nation of the world and cricket has assumed the status of an industry in India.
It is due to India’s huge contribution to the ICC that Cricket has made such a progress at the international level. Performance wise also the Team India has emerged as a leading inspiration for all. It is time for Pakistan to take a leaf out of the successful journey of India, get inspired, shun animosity and hate-mongering against India, stop terrorism and behave as a normal and civilized entity among the comity of nations. It might also lead India to review its current stand about Pakistan in the future course of events.
ashwanikc2012@gmail.com
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