Politics of the pitch

At the end of the first Pakistan-India game in this year’s Asia Cup, the Indian team refused to shake the hands of their Pakistani counterparts. The move was broadly criticised within Pakistan and by some former cricket greats in other cricket-playing countries as well.

- BY NADEEM F, PARACHA

Most Indians have been going through an existential crisis of sorts after losing a short war against Pakistan in May this year. Not shaking hands with Pakistani players can, therefore, also be understood as an act of sulking brought on by the shock of losing a war to a much smaller neighbour.

One of the most common reactions to the sulky behaviour of the Indian players was that “politics should not be mixed with sport.” Nothing new in this, really. For decades, one has heard this over and over again. Indeed, one can’t help but agree with this sentiment, but when it comes to cricketing relations between India and Pakistan, politics is historically and inherently entrenched in these relations.

After the 1965 war between the two countries, both the countries snapped their cricketing ties.

Things got even worse after the 1971 war between the two countries. Pakistan had accused India of aiding militant Bengali separatists in the erstwhile East Pakistan during a civil war there. In December 1971, East Pakistan broke away to become Bangladesh when India entered the war on the side of the separatists.

Interestingly, though, both countries continued to compete regularly in international hockey events. But the hockey matches were often politically charged. For example, just a day before their match against India at the 1974 Asian Games, the Pakistan team played loud patriotic songs to irritate their Indian opponents lodged nearby.