Sports is war, minus shooting. When George Orwell wrote these famous lines he should have added ‘politics’ after shooting.
The recent stand-off that has put the hosting of the Champions Trophy in danger has highlighted the need to assert that sports should be devoid of politics. India’s policy of entwining politics into sports has once again divided the cricket world.
As soon as India’s Cricket Board notified the International Cricket Council, the governing body of the game, who in turn informed the host Pakistan Cricket Board that “it will not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy” a confusing situation developed. There was no explanation given but apparently, the crux is the political tension between the two countries is the reason.
Security fears may exist for the Indian team in Pakistan and the same goes for Pakistan in India. Despite threats from extremists Pakistan men’s and women’s teams featured in Twenty20 World Cup in 2016. Pakistan’s first match was also shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata on threats but the show went on.
Security has not been an issue for teams in Pakistan. England and New Zealand have travelled three times and played safely. Australia visited Pakistan in 2022 after a whooping gap of 24 years. South Africa, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have toured. All the teams were given state-head-level security. India could have been given more stringent security. But there was no will to tour and when there is no will, there is no way.
The decision does not require any elaboration. It was imminent. But since Pakistan was awarded the competition — considered the second most exciting ODI event behind the World Cup as it involves the top eight Test nations — India did not give any hint of not touring Pakistan. In none of the ensuing nine ICC Board meetings, India alluded or raised any objection.
But India will be within their rights to say that their tour to Pakistan was always conditional to permission from their government. The BJP government has been winning elections on an anti-Pakistan narrative so they did not want to lose that vote count, which in the last elections has gone down.
The blame squarely goes to the International Cricket Council. It did not attend to the matter well in time. Once Pakistan toured India despite security fears and playing in a volatile city like Ahmedabad to feature in last year’s ODI World Cup, the ICC should have asked India whether they were ready to reciprocate. Then after the Twenty20 World Cup, the matter should have been raised.
We all would probably agree that politics should be kept out of sport. The skill, the tension and the pure jubilation and desperation over results are for all to enjoy. Famous commentator John Arlott once described a six as the most companionable of cricket acts.
When the ball goes in the crowd fans enjoy the moment irrespective of whose team has hit the maximum. Verily, the fans acknowledge a good stroke, a good catch or a good dismissal. These are acts devoid of any politics. A Virat Kohli drive or a Babar Azam drive is equally and unequivocally admired around the world.
But mixing politics in sports exploits everything. But politics intermingling with sports is not a new phenomenon. Because sports gain attention and recognition and in turn revenues, it is bound to attract politicians.
Cricket had engaged people on both sides of the India and Pakistan borders. It has averted war like we saw in 1987 when General Zia shocked Rajiv Gandhi with a cricket diplomacy tour when troops were warming up at respective borders.
A political situation is always the way forward. It happened in 2004 when the then-Indian Premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee solved the matter instantly, calling the then-skipper of the Indian team Sourav Ganguly and ordered him to take the team and not only win matches but also hearts. That 2004 tour by the Indian team opened a new era in India-Pakistan cricket
While the Indian Board presses for the Champions Trophy to be played on a hybrid model with India playing its matches on a neutral venue. For once and appreciatively, the Pakistan Cricket Board has stuck to its strong stance; no hybrid.
After deliberations and a virtual meeting, the matter still remains unresolved. PCB has now come up with an idea that if a hybrid model is adopted for this Champions Trophy, then all India-Pakistan matches in the events hosted by India until 2027 (the end of the ICC Broadcast deal) will also be on hybrid arrangement.
India is not travelling to Pakistan alleging that intrusion happens from across the border and they do not want to play with the alleged terrorist country. But why do they tolerate the Pakistan team playing on their grounds? It smacks of double standards. PCB has put a strong foot despite facing financial implications.
The solution may be found sooner than later. But the imbroglio has hit not only the game but also millions of fans. A permanent solution needs to be found, for the sake of the game as the family of cricket is not very big. It may further shrink if the problems lingered on.
