In normal circumstances, an India-Pakistan game in the women’s World Cup is a no-contest. India are miles ahead and the ODI record, 11-0, stands testimony. On the other hand, we have all the build-up from the Asia Cup, which has now been added to by the ‘Azad Kashmir’ comment from Sana Mir. In every sense, Colombo is waiting in anticipation for the next chapter of this drama.
Multiple questions stare at us. What will happen off the field? Will there be two commentators at the toss speaking to the two captains, like Ait was in the Asia Cup final? Will the match referee communicate in advance to the Pakistan team that India aren’t going to shake hands? Do Pakistan not know it already? Will the Pakistan players do anything to inflame passions, much like what Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan did? And will the PCB chief add fuel to the fire by saying he will take care of everything?
Quality wise, it will be a below-par cricket match. Pakistan don’t have the skill sets to match India. Even on slow Sri Lankan pitches, they don’t have the ammunition to be competitive. And yet, it could be one of the most-watched games of the World Cup. Every word spoken on air will be decoded and analysed, and every statement vetted. While the commentators will be under pressure, the Indians under Harmanpreet Kaur need to stay calm much like their male counterparts did in Dubai. They should know this is a routine encounter, and things will only get complicated if they let the pressure get to them.
For the media, and here I include the global media, this is a game of real interest. Alison Mitchell, for example, headlined her podcast with Debajit Saikia’s comment on the BCCI’s stance with Pakistan, and it is evident that everyone will be watching intently. And that’s why every actor in the piece needs to be responsible. A flight celebration or a 6-0 type of comment could seriously blow things off course, and add further fuel to the fire.
Mir has since issued a clarification about her on-air comment. She has cited ESPNCricinfo as her source. The point is simple. She owns the words she says, and whatever the source was, she was highly irresponsible and insensitive when she used the words ‘Azad Kashmir’ on air. To say that things are being blown out of proportion is utter nonsense. There are things that can be said, and things that can’t be. This was one such, and to cite a source is more a justification than an apology. Either way, it points to the issue of responsibility. And that’s what will have to be on show on Sunday when the two captains walk out for the toss.
Coming back to the game, another Pakistan defeat would mean more narrative peddling. From ‘Naqvi is great because he kept the [Asia Cup] trophy’ to ‘standing with Sana Mir’, we will see a lot of this chest-thumping in despair in the coming days. The truth is none of it will mask the pain of defeat. That’s where the focus should be, not on banal talk.