Boria Majumdar in Dubai
I was coming out for the post-match show when WhatsApp messages just started to go off on my phone. I did not take notice, for I was focussed on the show. But that was when two of our viewers pointed it out. One said: “Boria da, just check Mohsin Naqvi’s tweet. It is disgraceful.” I opened his official X (formerly Twitter) handle and, for a few seconds, was shocked. Was I seeing right? Was the account hacked, or was it an AI-generated image? I even asked Ashok and Gargi to check, for I honestly believed it couldn’t be true. But it was. Mohsin Naqvi it was, and the tweet was real.
By the way, this man is the President of the Asian Cricket Council. The Asia Cup is being held under his stewardship. And he puts out a tweet with the airplane celebration. A normal fan or even a player doing this is disgusting enough. With Mr Naqvi, it is irresponsible. Incitement and provocation. It is sad that a man in authority has to do this, and it is a real tragedy that it has been done three days before the Asia Cup final. Honestly, I am worried. If this is not provocation, then I don’t know what is. I had hoped Mr Naqvi had better sense, and a little more respect for the chair that he holds.
A couple of days back, we saw a 16-year-old footballer do it. We condemned it saying the youth shouldn’t ever be dragged into it, for he doesn’t even know what he is doing. This is indoctrination of a very dangerous variety, and youth should always be kept away from all this. But now, we have Naqvi, Pakistan’s Minister of Interior and the ACC President, doing it himself. He is a man of means in Pakistan. If he is setting the example, why should the cricketers or the footballers stay away?
The act is cheap. It is irresponsible and disrespectful. Pitiful, to say the least. Pakistan too deserves better than this. While India continues to live rent-free in Mr Naqvi’s imagination, this tweet will not do any good for Pakistan sport. More, it does a disservice to the ACC and the Asia Cup. There should be collective condemnation from global sporting heads, and action of some sort. Whatever it is, it is not sport.
I wish better sense prevails and the tweet is taken down. Having said that, I know such a thing won’t happen, and this tweet will be bandied around as an act of bravado and courage. In reality, it is utter foolishness from a person in authority. Does Mr Naqvi not know who he is, and the position he holds? And does he not know that with a chair, comes responsibility? Clearly he doesn’t, for else the tweet wouldn’t have been posted.
For now, it is Pakistan against Bangladesh tonight, and for the tournament’s sake, I’d like Bangladesh to win. This is because the India-Pakistan issue has reached a flashpoint. With further provocation, things could get out of hand on Sunday. A Bangladesh win is the best result possible.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news