DUBAI: The Sharjah cricket stadium, once a neutral bastion for high profile India versus Pakistan contests, now lies covered in dessert dust after the match-fixing storm phased it out from the international cricket map. But a few miles away, in the neighbouring Emirate state of Dubai, the India-Pakistan rivalry was put into primetime glare on Friday.
The Kabaddi Masters Dubai, a six-nation event, opened with India in the blue corner and Pakistan in the green. It may not be as fabled as the rivalry between the two countries in cricket or hockey, but an India Pakistan contest never fails on anticipation ratings. Banking on that solid stock, the curtain opened on the first kabaddi tournament played on neutral grounds to a packed and noisy crowd. Using the tried and tested template of Pro Kabaddi, the audience was kept sufficiently entertained with a mix of Bollywood songs and dramatic in-stadia lighting and background beats.
But once you cut through the white noise, the lopsidedness of the contest was evident. The Indian players have been a part of kabaddi’s drastic makeover. They weren’t just the fitter and better-styled team on the mat, but were obviously superior in skills and depth. The Pro Kabaddi League has, by way of increased competition and professionalism, forged them into better competitors. Pakistan, who are now banned from the League, meanwhile, have been left behind from this kabaddi revolution. They didn’t start in the best of state of preparedness, having reached Dubai only on the morning of the match.
The last time that the two teams met, at the Asian Championships in November 2017, India had defeated Pakistan 36-22. And on Wednesday, despite a slow start to the game, India marched to a dominant 36-20 victory.
While Pakistan was relying on their famed defence, India overwhelmed them with their all-round strength. Captain Ajay Thakur, leading from the front, got the team going when he sent one of Pakistan’s best defenders back Nasir Ali with a sneaky slap on the cheek. On his next raid, he took out Ali’s defence partner Wasim Sajjad on the right corner. Inside the first seven minutes, Pakistan was sent on the back foot. By the 15th, India had effected their first all-out to take a 14-8 lead.
The best raider in India currently, Pardeep Narwal, was largely ineffective, was caught twice, and was substituted in the 14th minute, the team had enough depth in raiding to not let it affect them.
Thakur and Rohit Kumar stepped up to the challenge, to make sure India backed their bravado with results. India went into half time with 22-9 and had Pakistan all-out for the second time in the first minute after resumption.
Every successful Indian raid and tackle was followed up with a massive cheer that threatened to blow the roof off the compact Al Wasl Sports Club's indoor hall. The Pakistanis – who account for more than 17% of Dubai’s population as opposed to the 43.3% Indians here—were outnumbered in the stands and easily outclassed on the mat.