KARACHI: “I came here to watch fine cricket and that is exactly what I am doing,” said Gibran Akbar, a cricket enthusiast, watching the ICC World Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and India live from Ahmedabad on a big electronic screen put up at the Com3 Towers parking lot at Bilawal Chowrangi here on Saturday.

By this time, Pakistan had already played their innings and India were easily chasing the target on 192 runs by hitting fours and sixes. The audience had been given small Pakistan flags to raise and wave around whenever the Green Shirts provided an opportunity to cheer for them. There was very little of that happening.

“For me it doesn’t matter if Pakistan loses. Yes, we are not playing too well. But there are our opponents who are putting up a great show. I am enjoying that. Also don’t forget that Pakistan also lost to India in the 1992 World Cup to later take the Cup,” said the young man, who had seen a post on social media about a big screen being installed there to then especially come to watch the match.

There was also Qamar Shahzad, another audience member, who said that he had no idea about the big screen and only came upon it by accident. “I just happened to be passing by when I saw the screen. Then I decided to just drop everything and watch the match,” he said. When asked if he thought that it was a waste of time to be watching as Pakistan was not doing well, he shook his head. “Win or lose, it is never a waste of time to watch Pakistan play,” he said.

Many restaurants, cinemas, clubs, shopping malls, etc, made arrangements for live screening of the match

The screen at the towers’ parking lot was only put up for the day of the Pakistan and India clash. Other than the screen and nice chairs there, the organisers had also arranged for a jumping castle to keep the children occupied along with snacks.

There was also a big screen at the front side of the Frere Hall lawns. Many wayfarers came to watch there as they comfortably sat on the green grass, their eyes glued to the screen, hoping against hope for a miracle.

“I had just come to Frere Hall for my walk when I happened to notice the screen and decided to sit down and watch the match,” said Muharram Ali. “Our team needs to work hard whenever they are facing India. Sadly, we have never been able to beat India in a World Cup match,” he aired his disappointment.

“I don’t think I’m going to stick around till the end. It seems no use,” said another dejected spectator, Mohamed Iqbal, at Frere Hall.

Also at Frere Hall lawns, one met with four friends from Lahore. “We are here from the Punjab just to enjoy this match with the people of Karachi,” said Umar Feroze, who was there with Mohammed Taufiq, Adnan Kamal and Imtiaz Ahmed. Asked if they were disappointed to find such an unenthusiastic audience here, the friends laughed. “It depends on the match. We have watched matches on big screens at the Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore and now we are watching this one here. We don’t find anything too different here. The reaction of the audience depends on the match,” said Umar. Off and on, the match transmission at the lawns froze also. “That’s okay. Even our team is behaving the same way,” the friends laughed.

Although there were arrangements for big screens at various restaurants, movie theatres, clubs, etc, specifically for the people who would buy a ticket or pay a fee, this time there were not that many public places where one could watch the match for free. Earlier, there also used to be big screens put up Teen Talwar, Do Talwar, Sharea Faisal, etc, which were not there this time.

Hill Park, which used to have a big screen for big matches, also was without one. Then the screens at unexpected places such as the Frere Hall, shopping malls and parking lots turned out as pleasant surprises.

The steps at the centre of the Lucky One Mall turned the entire place into a theatre as so many bored husbands and youngsters were relieved to have found something more worthwhile to do instead of being dragged around by their wives or mothers during their shopping sprees.

Perhaps the biggest screen for which the entry was also free was at the Arts Council of Pakistan’s huge amphitheatre. Since the match had started at 1.30pm, the theatre had most considerately been covered with shade tarps. Though the place was packed until halftime, many people left after seeing Pakistan’s small total. So many of them had come there wearing green shirts.

Sana Arif, also wearing a pretty green top, said that Pakistan’s start was good. “At the time, it looked like we would be giving the Indians a target of over 300 runs at least. We were also looking forward to watching a fine competition, but it looks like there will be no competition now with only 192 as the target. I don’t think I will even be watching the second half,” she sighed.

Meanwhile, Shahla Mahmood, media manager at the Arts Council, was more optimistic. “It is a game. And winning and losing is a part of every game,” she said. “We also need to understand the pressures of playing in front of an all Indian crowd. There was not a single Pakistan flag flying in those stands,” she pointed out.

“Our team needs to know that even though there is no one cheering for them in the Indian grounds during their matches, there is their entire country cheering for them and praying for them even if they can’t see us,” added a young man on overhearing the conversation.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2023