despite-being-host-pak-got-isolated-in-champions-trophy

It is a paradox. Pakistan, despite being the host of the Champions’ Trophy, ended up getting completely isolated by the conclusion of the tournament.

 

Sports isolation is as bad as diplomatic isolation and must have been very demoralising for the country. More so, when its arch rival, India, both in terms of cricket and diplomacy, was the reason for this isolation.

 

No official from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was present at the award distribution ceremony on Sunday evening in Dubai after India won the Champions’ Trophy for the third time by defeating New Zealand by four wickets.

 

Although the International Cricket Council (ICC) came out with a clarification explaining the absence of the PCB officials, the import of the message the host country wanted to convey was not lost on anyone.

 

PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, was said to have been busy with some prior commitments. There can be no more important “prior” commitment for the chairman of the PCB, than attending the concluding ceremony of an event it was hosting.

 

Despite being the host for the Champions’ Trophy, Pakistan could not organise the final there because of the condition that India would not play any match on Pakistani soil and if it went to the finals, the venue would be shifted from Lahore to Dubai.

 

And when India reached the finals, the venue had to be shifted to Dubai. India played all its matches in Dubai, while all other teams played their games, other than those opposite India, in Pakistan.

 

Obviously Pakistan felt snubbed and may be humiliated as well. While officially the country was the host for the Champions Trophy, it could not organise two of the three important matches, one semi-final and the final on its soil. This was not merely an issue of sports, but of international diplomacy as well. The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) prevailed upon the ICC to let its team play the Champions’ Trophy matches at some neutral venue, other than Pakistan.

 

The BCCI has genuine concerns about the security of its players in Pakistan. The Pakistan Army is full of rogue elements, which can go to any extent to harm India. In Pakistan, the Indian cricket team would have been at the “mercy” of the same Pakistan “security” establishment. If former prime minister like Imran Khan, who has been a sporting icon, and worshipped like a God in that country, can be imprisoned and treated like a traitor, by the same “security/military” establishment, the risk to the Indian cricket team can be well imagined.

 

The Champions' Trophy should serve as a diplomatic lesson for the Government of Pakistan that despite being the hosts, it was completely isolated from the main event. Thanks to India, the “main” venue of the sporting event was shifted to Dubai. Added to that was Pakistan getting knocked out from the championship in the initial stages itself and India winning the trophy.

 

It was obvious and understandable that PCB Chairman Naqvi, who happens to be the interior minister in the Government of Pakistan, abstained himself from attending the final celebrations. Not just him, there was no official from the PCB present during the award distribution function from the “host” nation, if it really had remained the host by the end of the championship.

 

Cricket has become the religion of people in the Indian sub-continent, more so in countries like India and Pakistan. In Pakistan, cricket sentiment is mingled with religious sentiment. It is not just against India, but Pakistan cricket fans organise special prayers for the victory of their team against any country. And when it is against India, it is like a “war against an enemy nation”. Sadly, for such fanatics, they have been regularly getting defeated, again and again in this “war” by their “perennial” enemy, they have chosen for themselves without any reason.

 

By now, people of Pakistan must have realised that nourishing a pathological hatred against India, with religious zeal, will not lead them anywhere and their country will eventually get isolated as it was during the Champions’ Trophy. Cricket was the only thing people of Pakistan would take pride in, as their team at one time was one of the best in the world, particularly under the captaincy of Imran Khan. It gave them a feeling of pride against all odds. Even that reason for pride is no more.