World Cup 2011: Why do we love to hate India?

Let’s stop loving to hate India and stop referring to the semi-final as a ‘do or die’ situation.

Riaz Toori March 29, 2011
Cricket mania has spread like wildfire and everyone wants their team to win. But so far, the South Asians are championing the race tooth and nail.

Pakistan is poised to face its rival India in the semi finals and we have made cricket a life and death scenario. Our spirits were high after securing victories against big teams like Australia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, but a prospective showdown with India has given our excitement a new meaning altogether. We are just not willing to accept defeat.

If we were facing any other team in the semi-final instead of India, defeat would have been digestible – but losing to our neighbours is unacceptable. The match is being looked at as a battle, a war between the green shirts and the blue and the Mohali stadium is being portrayed as a battlefield like Panipat.

The media is also playing on the nerves of the nation by adding to already smoldering public emotions. A media personality was heard saying that we need not win the final but the semi-final should be won at any cost.

Here’s the million dollar question:

Why can’t we just look at cricket as a game?

Why has the semi-final become a case of dignity and shame? Just because we are playing against India?

I am not pleading in favour of India, but what I’d like to point out is that the India we are getting so worked up about is the same country whose Bollywood is ruling the hearts of Pakistani fans. We love to listen to Indian music; we love to watch Indian entertainment shows. And the reason for this addiction is that we have almost the same culture, same traditions and same people.

Since 1947, both countries are at loggerheads with each other but this hatred has hatched nothing but poverty, unemployment, instability and perpetual crises for both countries. Why are we unable to understand that the division of the sub-continent was not to fan hate mongering but to live in peace? What did we reap in the wars of 1948, 1965 and 1971?

We should shun this dual behavior and stand united for the sake of regional peace and love. Let’s stop loving to hate India and stop referring to the semi-final as a ‘do or die’ situation.
WRITTEN BY:
Riaz Toori A citizen of what he considers the most ingnored area of the country, the tribal areas and an expert on Fata
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (62)

Manish | 13 years ago | Reply Ahh many of you guys hate India but for non sense reason. Cmon guys show some sports spirit. Cricket is Beyond religion , racism , and discrimination. Dont forget that Cricket is a GentleMAn game.
Amena | 13 years ago | Reply @say what?: yes we indian muslims are typical indians. india gives us equal rights to live a dignified life as a muslim and the right to profess our own religion. muslim actors are loved and respected, a muslim scientist was the president of our country. can your country give so much to a non muslim?? ur hated is justified...wen ur neighbouring country is doing so well economically and culturally n ur own country is screwed by internal insurgencies and poverty..u r bound to be jealous.. then u come back with your"no indias r jealous of us and r afraid of us" rhetoric. india has humiliated pak in the 71 and 99 wars... and if u still continue to not see that then u are living in denial
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