A section on social media are active saying that India shouldn’t play Pakistan in the Asia Cup. In principle, I have absolutely no problems with the stand. The truth is that it is the government of India that has decided on the issue, and it has done so keeping India’s long-term sporting ambitions in mind. Even then, I understand this sentiment and appreciate it. Pakistan is a rogue nation, and there is no shying away from that.
Where this stance turns hypocritical is when it is only restricted to men’s cricket. How many of this boycott-the-Pakistan-game group have said that Neeraj Chopra should withdraw from the World Championships in Tokyo? With Arshad Nadeem participating, Neeraj should withdraw, going by their logic. If Arshad doesn’t make it to Tokyo, he will be there at the Asian Games next year. Will Neeraj withdraw from that competition? Pakistan will participate in the Asian Games in Japan, for sure. Does that mean India, as a contingent, will withdraw?
How many from this boycott-Pakistan group have said the same for the Women’s World Cup? Hardly any. It is India’s home World Cup, and they will have to play Pakistan in Colombo given the agreement between the nations. Now, should India withdraw from the World Cup because Pakistan are playing, or concede the match and dent their own chances?
All these boycott calls will be restricted to men’s cricket alone. It is the sport that sells, and by calling for a boycott, most of these protesters will get a life on social media. It will give them a voice and an identity of sorts. They will attack the government, the broadcaster, the players, the journalists and everyone else. There are some journalists who will do the same. While most of them are rubbish, they will pose as nationalist moral police and call out fellow journalists who cover the game. And then, hypocrites that they are, will conduct polls on their social media accounts about whether India should play Pakistan!
The truth is the government has done right by taking a stand in favour of multi-nation sport. For, otherwise, every sport in India would come to a standstill. Take the ongoing Boxing World Championships in Sheffield. If the stand is to boycott any event that Pakistan is part of, India shouldn’t even send a contingent. India could then never participate in either the Commonwealth Games or an Olympics or even a multi-nation cricket tournament. That is absurd, to say the least.
Most of these boycott calls are restricted to social media discourse that doesn’t get into the depths of the issue. The government decision has been taken keeping in mind India’s interests and not otherwise. Playing Pakistan in multi-nation events, as I have argued, is a necessity and not a choice. Just like the Prime Minister has to attend an international summit where his Pakistan counterpart is present – a boycotting isn’t an option – the very same is applicable to sport.
Finally, as journalists, our job is to cover the event while being conscious that nothing related to Pakistan should be celebrated. Playing them is a need, and that’s where it should end.
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