NAGOYA: Cricket matches between India and Pakistan, especially in the post-Pahalgam climate, are generally policed. Politeness is out of fashion and rudeness is de rigueur. In other sports, though, even at the senior level, bonhomie has been preserved.
That was on display across multiple team sports on Thursday. The men's hockey teams between the two countries produced a seven-goal thriller. But there were handshakes, pleasantries and a general sense of brotherhood. It was a similar story in the quarterfinal of the men's volleyball game between the two sides.
There was bonhomie, handshakes, and hugging after the match; Pakistan's players even went and consoled their Indian counterparts. A few went to pat Amit Balwan Singh on the back. One Pakistan player said that they look at players from India like brothers. It was all very uncharacteristic.
Any Pakistan versus India match in any sport usually evokes a very different kind of emotion. The rivalry is generally heated because of the history. There is drama, controversy, verbal volleys and more. However, on Thursday, there was none of that.
The match was one-sided as Pakistan, who kept alive their unbeaten streak against India at this level, won in straight games. Their spikers were sharper and they won a lot of the crucial points, especially at the end. The final score — 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 — tells the story. Most of their players play in leagues in different parts of the globe. Murad Khan spoke about how sports transcend all the controversy outside the court. There is no animosity. There is only sporting rivalry. He came across Amit two years ago in a competition in Kazakhstan and started to chat. They got to know each other a bit. “I know him from Kazakhstan two years ago; we played there. We chatted a lot there too,” said Murad. “It was the same here. This is sports. Here, what people say is that what happens outside doesn't happen inside. Here, we focus on the game.”
This has been a pattern in sports other than cricket. Players know each other, greet each other and speak with each other. There are handshakes as well. Thursday's game was another indication that there is space for the sporting spirit. Once again, the focus will be on the cricketers who will face each other in the final of the Asian Games.
Murad says there is no extra pressure when he plays against India. It is like just another game. "People talk about other things, but here — maybe on the other side or in the other court — it's the same,” he said. “We were having fun and laughing. It’s not like the thoughts people have outside exist here. Just keep your focus on the game.”
India’s Amit too sings from the same hymn sheet. He believes that when one enters the court, it is all about sport. “People look at India-Pakistan from a different point of view,” he said. “But a sportsperson has to think about his best performance. The relations (between the two countries) haven’t been good since the beginning but a sportsperson has to ignore all that and focus on the game.”
Amit, because he plays volleyball abroad, is among the favourites here. He knows a lot of other players from other nations. “This is, of course, a very important match,” he said. “As a sportsperson, if we look at this match from that point of view, then there will be more pressure. We can display our skills better if we play with a free mind. Out of the court, we speak to each other cordially. Sometimes, we end up playing for the same clubs abroad, like in Iran.”
Uman Faryad was even more candid in his observation. “We love everyone,” he said. “We are all the same! It's just that people on the outside have created an environment. We all live in love with each other. If they are from India, it's no big deal. They are my brothers. I treat them the same way I treat my Pakistani teammates.”
Maybe there's a message in there for the cricketers from both nations.