Afridi Broadside

To a question from the on-field commentator that Pakistan seemed to have a good crowd response, Afridi bowled the googly saying that there were a lot of Kashmiris in the crowd in Mohali and the team got good support in Kolkata as well. The on-field commentator was none other than Rameez Raja of Pakistan. The conversation telecast live was innocuous, is difficult to digest. It is no coincidence that a visiting skipper egged on by a Pakistani on-field commentator availed the free airtime to address millions of spectators and innocently furthered the national policy of Pakistan and ISI to keep the Kashmir issue on the front burner. If nothing else, a tormented Afridi has certainly earned some brownie points back home among the hardliners and India baiters, especially after his equally controversial comments on arrival that Pak team got more love and affection than what it gets at home.

Pakistan cricket team is going through a rough patch is all too well known. The performance of the Pakistan’s team in the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup has attracted nothing but criticism from fans of Pakistan cricket, ex cricketers and politicians back home. An inquiry committee has been set up to question players about groupism within the team and underperformance of some players. Afridi himself is facing unprecedented flak on social media for on and off field antics. Afridi will step down as captain of Pakistan cricket team and may even seek retirement from the game. Instead of making an honourable exit as an all time great, Afridi has disgraced the tournament and sporting ethics by making a political statement knowing fully well that Kashmir is the biggest bone of contention between the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan and his comments will be seen as yet another attempt by Pakistan to internationalise the issue.

India is the host country. As hosts, BCCI has done everything to accommodate all teams. Venue was also changed to allay the fears of Pakistan and a host of their stupid demands were acceded to to make the tournament inclusive. Pakistan has also disgraced the tehzeeb of being a good mehmaan by abusing the impeccable hospitality and making a terrible political statement from a sporting arena. The visitors have lost the sympathy and support of millions of cricket fans in India and abroad by the Afridi broadside.

Visiting teams are ambassadors of goodwill of their country. The present Pakistan team has however betrayed poor diplomacy and provided a set back to people – to – people contact and future bilateral series. The captain of the Pakistan team has definitely tarnished the image of cricket – a gentleman’s game. Since Pakistan has crossed the Lakshmanrekha of sports diplomacy, BCCI should not soft pedal the issue and lodge a strong protest with ICC. ICC should also crack the whip lest such utterances become routine and cause embarrassment to other participating nations and allow deviance in the sportsmanship.

The silence of commentators, diplomats and ex cricketers on the issue is eloquent. TRP hungry electronic media also did not find the comment juicy enough. The Pakistani ex-cricketers who generally suffer from verbal incontinence have suddenly developed amnesia on this issue. Lately reports have emanated in a section of media suggesting escalation in Rawalpindi’s Non Terror Front activities using non- governmental organizations to create unrest in India. The dialogue between Rameez Raja and Afridi at the toss in Mohali is a pointer to the fact that it could well be an orchestrated master act than just a rant by a ruffled skipper. Could it be better timed when separatist leaders of Kashmir were headed for Delhi at the invite of the Pakistan ambassador to attend the Pakistan Day celebrations! The sub-text of the narrative needs to be analysed and understood in the right perspective and steps taken to foil such future designs.