Author: Boria Majumdar

Boria Majumdar Everyone I know has now seen the visuals of a 16-year-old Pakistani footballer celebrating his penalty goal against India with the tea celebration, mocking Captain Abhinandan Varthaman. He thereafter went on to do the same aeroplane celebration as Haris Rauf. And yes, he is 16 going on 17. The moment you see it, you know the rot has set in deep. It is indoctrination of the worst sort and these young men and women are growing up without even knowing what is good for him or her. The sporting edifice is rotten and you shudder to think what…

Boria Majumdar in Dubai In his autobiography, Wasim, released in 1998, Wasim Akram dedicated an entire chapter – ‘Coping with the mental pressure’ – to Huma, his wife, describing their sessions of therapy. “She has been a rock to me in so many ways, not least in getting me mentally strong for challenges on the field,” he wrote in the introduction to the book. “You can’t perform on talent alone at the highest level, and Huma has helped channel me into the right psychological areas that allow me to do justice to my abilities.” Apart from Akram, Huma – who…

Boria Majumdar in Dubai The gulf is just too wide. On a day when Jasprit Bumrah had his third-worst bowling effort of all time, India won with much to spare. Even if India don’t play at their best, they will still beat Pakistan. Suryakumar Yadav was right when he said, “It is only a rivalry when in 15 games it is 8-7 or something. But when it is 10-1 or 10-0 it is no longer a rivalry.” Pakistan aren’t good enough to challenge India and that’s the harsh truth for every fan of Pakistan cricket. That’s what brings me to…

Boria Majumdar in Dubai It was 8 pm, and all of a sudden there was a flutter among the Pakistani media present at the ICC Academy. Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, or may I say the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chair, had walked in with a few security people and was headed straight for the Pakistan practice arena. As PCB chief, he can surely make an appearance and inspire his team. It isn’t unnatural by any means and yet it is. Pakistan haven’t done their almost mandatory press conference for the last two games. They had almost…

This Asia Cup has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. With another India-Pakistan match coming up 30 hours later, the drama hasn’t yet ended. But in the middle of this, Dunith Wellalage has come as a symbol of hope and a kind of optimism as to what sport is all about. The young man lost his father, Suranga Wellalage, 54, to a heart attack when he was playing against Afghanistan. He was communicated the news by his coach Sanath Jayasuriya. He went back to Sri Lanka for a day to attend the last rites and is now…

Boria Majumdar in Dubai I am writing this copy with India on 100-3 at the end of 10 overs against Oman. Frankly, the entire press box while watching the match isn’t really focused on it. Yes, Sanju Samson is a draw and his innings was greeted with some applause in the press box. But the real topic of discussion is the game on Sunday and if Pakistan can be competitive. The fact that Suryakumar Yadav did not come out to bat even at No. 8 was evidence that India were doing all to give each of their batters some game…

Boria Majumdar in Dubai India play Oman on Friday night, but the focus is already on India v Pakistan for Sunday, September 21. Against the backdrop of all that has happened already, this will be another much-talked-about encounter. Firstly, a boycott is no longer in the narrative. Rather, how India drives home the larger message will yet again hog the limelight. It is also important that we focus a little on the game itself. After all, it is a game of bat and ball at the core of it. On field, the gulf just seems too much between…

Boria Majumdar 2,700 days. Yes, for 2,700 days Neeraj Chopra had not finished outside of the podium. It finally ended in Tokyo. It had to end. He is human and sport is real, not reel. He had to fail for that’s what sport teaches you. And this failure is a public one. Unlike us, when we fail, we fail in private. For Neeraj it is a public failure and you know what, he is entitled to fail. It is okay to not be okay. Okay not to win. Okay to not make the podium. Neeraj is India’s greatest-ever athlete.…

Boria Majumdar in Dubai And so, the Asia Cup continues, for now. Until Pakistan find the next reason to throw the toys out of the pram. Over the last three days, poor Andy Pycroft has garnered a thousand times as many column inches as he ever did during a modest nine-year international career with Zimbabwe. To make it even more perplexing, the furore over his behaviour is a complete non-issue. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) alleges that it was Pycroft that told Salman Agha not to shake hands with Suryakumar Yadav at the toss. They claim that by doing so,…

Boria Majumdar Neeraj Chopra is arguably India’s greatest ever athlete. Two Olympic medals, a gold and a silver, multiple World Championships medals, Diamond League triumphs, he has seen it all. And yet he hasn’t. As he takes centre stage in Tokyo, it will be yet another first for him. How does he deal with the Arshad Nadeem challenge? While he knows what to expect from Julian Weber, who is in the form of his life, Neeraj wouldn’t know what to expect from Arshad. Will that put any additional pressure on him or will he go about his business unfazed? How…