The Great India-Pakistan Cricket Frenzy

Venkat Ananth with moderator Yusra Askari at the Great India-Pakistan Cricket Frenzy panel.

Cricket journalists from India and Pakistan discuss the frenzy, jingoism and culture of politicization that inevitably becomes a part of cricket matches between India and Pakistan.

Venkat Ananth, a cricket writer from India, recollected an incident from 2003, when there were reports of Wasim Akram being appointed as India’s bowling coach.

“On one hand, a petition was filed in Lahore against Wasim Akram. While on the other hand, then emerging Indian left-arm fast bowler Irfan Pathan told me: “Had Wasim Akram been hired, who knows, I would have been able to take 400 Test wickets.””

The discussion went towards the exclusion of Pakistani players from the Indian Premier League after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

“Fans were disappointed but they were deeply hurt by the attacks, now things have changed and now the Indian cricket board (BCCI) has invited Pakistan to the Champions League T20.

“It’s a brave move and they are even planning to shift the venue to South Africa, to ease the visa process for Pakistani players.”

The journalists then discussed their role in bringing down the level of animosity between the two countries by avoiding jingoistic tones in their reporting and how they can help educate the masses about people on the other side of the border.