The BCCI has given the nod to resume bilateral cricketing ties with our neighbor. Its been 5 years since these two nations faced-off at least on a cricketing field in a bilateral series. It has been tagged to be a ‘short series’ with 3 ODI and 2 T20 internationals in it.
With cricketing ties resuming, everybody is talking about this being a sign of improved ties between the two nations ‘again’! Even if the cricketing administrations in both countries are ruled by politicians, I personally feel that Cricket is Cricket that’s all. ‘Cricket Diplomacy’ if at all such a term has been already coined by the media is an eye-wash. Diplomacy makes sense only on the political level. Everything else including the ‘Bus Diplomacy’ which A B Vajpayee tried is only to give a good feeling and may sell a few more newspapers and keep the West happy that yes things are at least not out of control in this part of the world.
Frankly speaking after India won the WC and SRT got his 100th century , I have pretty much given up on cricket. The fact that every now and then Sri Lanka was the only team playing India also did not help.
Am I looking forward to this Ind vs Pak series? Well I sure am, because come December the Indian media is going to whip up a storm. I am already curious as to what the media will call this series. Though I am sure that name will be some connotation of the word - Peace, Aman, Asha etc. More than on-field performances I will be interested in what happens off the field that is if at all SRT is not playing, which I highly doubt.
I will be keeping a close eye on how much Afridi has aged on paper since the last time I saw him some 8-9 years when he was only 15 years old. I am also predicting that we will get to see Sania Mirza in the stands for the last T20 game and that this sighting will start trending on Twitter.
All said and done, may the best team win. Hope the series becomes famous for purely cricketing reasons and that the BCCI don’t overplay the peace card and ask Ajmal Kasab to share the dais during any of the MOM presentations.
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