Why did our honorable ( a little dishonored these days) prime-minister have to invite his Pakistani counterpart over for the semi-final? Why couldn't he, like the rest of our country forget work, forget everything else and just watch the match? Why dilute what is easily the most significant sporting feat in the subcontinent ever with another round of diplomatic pyrotechnics?
Lets face it. Pakistan is the enemy and has always been. Its nice to say that we want Pakistan to grow into a successful, friendly nation but what we would all rather have is them dissapearing off the face of the earth. Born and brought up hearing about how our neighbour is plotting our destruction, its only fair we would love to beat the hell out of them, albeit non-violently, on the cricket pitch. It is war tomorrow, a passionate, all or nothing war at Mohali and we do not need sermons on peace and brotherhood to dilute our spirits. Diplomacy can wait for another day. Not that it has been too successful anyway.
What exactly will the bosses of the two nations achieve by watching Akthar racing in to bowl at Sachin? Will the sportsmanship shown on the pitch transfer itself to foriegn policy? Will the pakistanis suddenly find that their policy of war by a thousand cuts is not working anymore? By trying to shift the limelight from the batsmen and the bowlers to foreign affairs and regional peace, what exactly do our policy makers intend to achieve?
Open questions to an opaque government.
Many will argue that there are more pressing matters than cricket in the world. But when its peaceful gladiators representing billions on each side fighting it out for the greatest prize in the game, a game followed with religious fervor in both countries, nothing can be more important than a victory. A loss is not acceptable, unimaginable to some, revolting to others. The sheer ecstasy, as an Indian of watching Sehwag whacking Gul over his head, of Sachin getting that hundredth hundred, of Yuvraj hitting those sixes is going to lift an entire nation for years to come. Failure could have us drooping our shoulders for just as long.
The players go out there with the pride, the passion, the hopes of a nation on their shoulders. Nobody needs the politics, the politicians to mar this battle. Let the war be fought on the cricket field tomorrow. Let it be won or lost by the eleven on the field.
oo snaps! you're a really good writer!
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