Cricket fans must be waiting for Sunday’s clash of titans as Pakistan and India are going to compete in the ICC Champions Trophy in Birmingham. Owing to strained political relations and bilateral tensions, the two teams seldom face each other. However, both the countries are bound to play their matches in the tournaments being organised by the ICC or the Asian cricketing body. But there is a sad forecast for the fans as rain is expected in Birmingham on Sunday. The rain had already hit a clash between Trans-Tasman arch-rivals Australia and New Zealand, forcing the two teams to share one point each in Birmingham this last week.

Though Pakistan could not win a single match against India in the ICC World Cups, in the Champions Trophy, it has the edge with a 2-1 lead. If one looks at the current strength of India and Pakistan, the former are considered favourite.

In Birmingham many Pakistanis are living and one remembers the ICC Champions Trophy match between the two neighbouring countries held at the same ground in 2004. The atmosphere in and around the Edgbaston Stadium was electric: it was no different to the one seen at any venue in India or Pakistan. People of the two countries came to the stadium with the same zeal and heart-warming fluttering of flags set the tone for the game which Pakistan won by three wickets.

The tickets for the match have been sold out online and weather permitting, a good crowd is expected to enjoy the match.

Last week, dejected hockey Olympian Zahid Sharif, due to financial constraints, offered the prime minister or anyone else to buy his gold, silver and bronze medals. Zahid played for Pakistan from 1987 to 1991 and he had to exit from the international hockey after facing a six-month ban due to a disciplinary case. He was master in dribbling, a fine art in the game of hockey. He was also fired from the PIA.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation seems reluctant to come forward to support Zahid.

Zahid is not the only sportsperson who has come to such a sorry pass. Recently, Davis Cupper Samir Iftikhar had made an appeal to the chief minister to allocate Rs500,000 for him to enable him to prepare for the Davis Cup tie to be held in Thailand and for the Grand Slam event of Wimbledon starting next month. Samir belongs to high-profile tennis family. His grandfather Khwaja Iftikhar was an all-India champion.

Samir’s father Tayyab Iftikhar also played Davis Cup and from third generation, Samir has represented Pakistan in this premier tennis event of the world.

Aisamul Haq, the tennis prodigy of Pakistan, is Khwaja Iftikhar’s grandson and Aisam’s mother Nausheen also played for Pakistan in the FED Cup. Another grandchild of Khwaja Iftikhar is Ushna Sohail, who is playing tennis at the international level.

It is sad that a member of such an illustrious family has to appeal for financial help. There is a need for the government to prepare a comprehensive policy to provide financial support to every deserving sportsperson. The Punjab government had set up sports endowment fund last year but its implementation is not forthcoming.

The extreme weather has discouraged the sports organisers to start any activity during the month of Ramazan in Lahore. Last year, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) organised a seven-a-side hockey tournament under the floodlights at the National Hockey Stadium. Also organised were inter-media cricket cup and a football tournament.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2017