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Asia Cup India and Pakistan gear up for next cricket battle

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  • Asia Cup India and Pakistan gear up for next cricket battle






    It is tempting to think that the off-field cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan is passé, a thing of the past century.

    The two cricketing giants will take on each other in the Asia Cup on Sunday. If the gods smile on television moguls, this could be the first of three meetings in the tournament.

    The India-Pakistan rivalry has generally been more intense in the hearts and minds of supporters than the players. Battles have been fought on social media by fans who believe that a win on a cricket field is conclusive proof that one political system or one religion or one nation is superior to the other.

    Over the years, there have been two separate games whenever the India and Pakistan teams have met. The one on the field is a competition between two talented sets of players trying their utmost to win, bringing into the frame professional pride. Off it, the game is symbolic of something else; war minus the shooting, to use George Orwell's memorable phrase.

    The last time the teams met, at the World T20 in October 2021, Pakistan beat India by ten wickets. Indian bowler Mohammed Shami, the only Muslim man in the Indian team, was trolled mercilessly. He had figures of 3.5-0-43-0, not unusual in a T20 game. But for those who were searching for scapegoats, Shami fit the bill.

    On Sunday, Pakistan will be without fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, who has an injured knee. With three wickets, Afridi was man of the match when the two teams met in the World T20.

    "Shaheen's injury big relief for the Indian top order batsmen…" former Pakistan team captain Waqar Younis tweeted last week. To this, former India player Irfan Pathan responded with "It's a relief to other teams that Bumrah isn't playing this Asia cup!" Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has a back injury.

    This exchange is mild stuff to what some players and fans have been tweeting in recent times. If things are getting a bit boring, that is for the good. But that might be too much to hope for. There are enough players, fans and television officials who stoke the fire for personal, professional and political reasons.

    But to set against these exchanges, there is the one between the leading batters of the two sides.

    Last month, when India's Virat Kohli was going through a bad patch in England, Pakistani star Babar Azam sent him a message: "This too shall pass. Stay strong."

    Kohli's response was equally warm: "Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best."

    For political reasons, India and Pakistan play each other only in multi-team tournaments outside their respective countries - this lends these matches an edge. Emotions are pent up for longer and find release on these occasions.
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