The World Cup brings into sharp focus what cricket means to the countries or nations participating in the tournament.
These are two different entities. A country is a geographic reality which becomes a nation when all its population believes in it. The reaction of different peoples on or off television supports this view. Of course education and economics contribute significantly to countries becoming nations and their reactions in winning or losing.
As we get towards the business end of the World Cup, I thought it would interest the readers to examine this view point. All participating teams play the game to their utmost and play to win.
They tend at times to go over the top in their competitiveness but having lost, accept the result with some equanimity.
In the cases of England, Australia and say New Zealand their nations do not go into long periods of mourning nor do their governments come close to falling if their team loses. This does not imply that winning is not important nor that losing does not hurt. It only suggests that these people understand that in a game only one can win. Their press does go to town and criticism is scathing. Their Cricket Boards get duly chastised to ensure they do better next time. The sub continent how
ever only goes some way towards this behaviour. Please do read on, this does have some positives for Pakistan. Sri Lanka has a very high level of literacy which contributes towards their sensible reactions.
Bangladesh, a developing team, responds in proportion to its realistic chances. Importantly it has become a Nation that loves cricket which has come to terms with the past.
Runa Laila singing a mystic Sindhi song and the crowd reactions exhibited this and their unbiased admiration for our cricketers. India of course has a lot going for it and cricket has become a high interest, high earning sport. This tempers its behaviour but by and large it is still rabid in matches against Pakistan and nearly so in other cases. It is on a road to becoming a Nation.
Pakistan the Country I love is sadly not yet a Nation. It once did behave like one when truly confronted with an enemy and threatened with annihilation. Would this still hold true? It does however truly become a Nation, united, praying and wishing for success when its cricket team plays internationally. It saddens me that our Governments have never appreciated the unifying value of cricket for our Country. I opine that our people would forgive our rulers all their sins if they were only to manage cricket honestly and promote the God gifted talents that our players possess.
As to the World Cup, I join the entire Country in wishing that we win. It would be a miracle if this happens. History does not ignore this possibility. Realistically I see the first glimmers of Pakistan featuring in the semifinals. I look forward to watching Pakistan spectators with worried, stressful faces praying to the All Mighty for help in winning. Let us remember that other teams also have a God and that God is just.
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