Cricketers from Pakistan are the finest at defaming this admirable sport. Instead of assuming a constructive role, they are demonstrating their talent by spreading contempt and animosity towards other nations, religions, and individuals both on and off the field. They are loudmouths who forget to maintain decency while claiming to be peace ambassadors to other countries, particularly India, and Javad Miadad is no exception. The Indo-Pak relationship policy is unaffected by his viewpoint. But his statements reveal a pervasive issue in Pakistani society.
Miadad was enraged that the Indian team would not visit Pakistan to play in the Asia Cup, despite the fact that India and Pakistan have a critical relationship. Since the 2009 Mumbai terrorist tragedy, bilateral cricket matches have been put on hold. Only ICC competitions still feature matches between the two sides.
The former Pakistani great, who has a family relation with India’s most wanted man, Dawood Ibharhim, had hit out at India and said “India can go to hell” in response to India’s decision not to visit Pakistan for the upcoming Asia Cup. In the meantime, the BCCI made it clear that the Indian team would not be travelling to Pakistan at the recently held meeting of the Asian Cricket Council. The reason for this is that they will not receive the necessary clearance from the Indian government to travel to Pakistan due to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Furthermore, the misbehaving Pakistani players repeatedly demonstrated their animosity and intolerance towards people of other faiths as well as the spread of the Jihadist ideology off the field. Mushtaq Mohammad, a Pakistani cricketer at the time, described a 1978 test series victory over India as “a victory of Muslims all over the world over the Hindus.” Imran Khan, a former cricketer who is now a politician, has used the word “jihad” since the 1980s. According to him, every game Pakistan plays against India is viewed as an act of jihad.
Former Pakistani player and commentator Waqar Yonius also triggered a controversy after Pakistan won the match against India in T- 20 world cup 2021. He said “….. The best thing, what Rizwan did, he offered the Namaz on the ground surrounded by Hindus, that was something very special for me,”
Former Pakistani cricketer Sohaib Akthar, a self-claimed advocate of peace between two countries, exposed his fanaticism mindset against India. Additionally, he caused controversy when he was heard discussing “Ghazwa-e-Hind” in a video. He claimed that they will first conquer Kashmir and subsequently India, as it is written in their holy book.
Pakistani players do not hesitate to express their religious activities on the field. They even ask other non-Muslim players to convert to Islam. In 2014, during an ODI against Sri Lanka, Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad was caught on camera asking Lankan batsman Dilshan to convert to Islam or burn in hell.
Meanwhile, hatred for India is not limited to the sports community; even Pakistani artists who have made a name for themselves in India spit venom at the country. Notorious comedian Umer Sharif asked Pakistanis not to lose hope after they lost a match against India. He said, “After all, the Somnath Temple had been destroyed after 17 failed attempts.”
Hatred of India by Pakistan extends beyond cricket. Other sports were also influenced by this conflict. Those who remember India’s poorest World Cup performance was a tenth-place finish in the 1990 Hockey World Cup in Lahore, where fans pelted rocks at Indian players. In Pakistan, especially for those who pursue a public life, hating India is an essential component of existence.
Sunil Thapliyal has been active journalist in sports over a decade, views are personal
