It was all farcical. India’s bias towards Pakistan has once again deprived a fast-gaining popular World Championship of Legends – a private T20 League – from its sheen. The idea of the League is to give fans nostalgic and memory refreshing moments of former players from India and Pakistan.
These great players have retired, but fans still want to see them in action. The Indian and Pakistani communities based in the UK do not often get to see their heroes before their eyes. This League provides them a chance to achieve that desire.
The first edition of the League was held last year. It was organised and attended so well that organisers, sponsors and players had pledges to continue the event. The players from India and Pakistan mingled well and showed all those haters that cricket can provide a platform for peace and building relations.
India won the inaugural title by upstaging Pakistan. The result went as fans and organisers had wished for. Pakistani players showed a big heart by mingling with Indian fans.
The first edition sent a clear message: cricket and politics go separate ways. It has nothing to do with what is happening at the political fronts and between the two governments.
But as the wait for the second edition was over and fans started to buy tickets, a farcical and much condemnable act of Indian players was witnessed.
A vociferous social media campaign, protesting why Indian players are sharing the same field as Pakistanis, aroused and revived the patriotism (read: Jingoism) in the Indian players.
From Shikhar Dhawan to Harbhajan Singh to Irfan Pathan – all players from across the border stood up and tried to be counted. As they were castigated on social media and the Modi-controlled media, they refused to play against Pakistan in the wake of the recent war.
The organisers, sensing a fan blackout of the event with their main attraction being an Indo-Pak game – tried to convince the sulking players to reconsider their stance.
The players then relented a bit by saying they do not want a Pakistan team with Shahid Afridi in the eleven. Their stance was that Shahid Afridi had participated in anti-Indian rallies and was vociferous in condemning India.
Still, it was a childish stance. Pakistan team owner Kamil Khan and Afridi came out in the media. Showing a big heart – as he always does – Shahid announced he was suffering from a shoulder injury and was not playing. But the unconvincing stance of the Indian players did not change.
Around 18,000 fans were left deserted. They had bought the ticket for the match and had descended on Edgbaston from far-flung areas, some even from the USA, India and Canada. They were left in the lurch and were hugely disappointed.
To the shock of the cricketing world, India and Pakistan were awarded a point each. How can a team forfeiting a match on political grounds be awarded a point.
It was Pakistan that deserved both the points, as it was a forfeit. Once again, the Pakistan team showed a big heart and accepted that silly move.
Without a doubt, the organisers deserved a mention in the Guinness Book of World Record! To their horror, the organisers found the Indian team performing tamely, and there were fears that they would not qualify for the semi-finals.
They lagged at the bottom of the six-team table and needed a big win in their last game against the West Indies. Somehow or other, the Indian team won that last match with the required run-rate and qualified for the semi-final.
It created one more scene. This time too, India refused to play the semi-final. The sponsors of the League were also from India, and naturally, they showed solidarity with their players and refused to fork out the bucks. But this time, organizers were forced to send Pakistan into the final.
They could have changed the opponents, getting Australia to play India and Pakistan to play South Africa. You could expect that, but it did not happen.
After all this hoopla, the question that Indian fans, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Indian government must ask their players: didn’t they know Pakistan is also in the League? Didn’t they know that Shahid Afridi is a crowd puller and will be in the Pakistan team? Why did they land in the UK and then objected? Did their patriotism aroused only after a social media backlash?
These Indian players may have signed for the League last year or earlier this year. But did not April 22 – a false flag operation for Pakistan and a terrorist attack for India – had happened before the league. Didn’t they know May 7 and May 10 had happened when the two militaries clashed and attacked their respective territories?
Indian players should not have come to the UK. But they needed that appearance money, needed to attend a few promotional events and eat tasty foods in Pakistani restaurants in Birmingham.
All the Indian players who featured in the League are true legends. They represented their countries with distinction and honour. But what they did in the League did not suit the legends.
Taking stock of the whole situation and the bias towards India, the Pakistan Cricket Board has very rightly put a blanket ban on any future participation of the Pakistan team in the so-called World Championship of Legends.
If you mix politics in sports, show bias towards one country and try to degrade our players, we will not allow a Pakistan team in the League.
The farce should not be allowed to go on. Well done, Pakistan Cricket Board!
