Pakistan and cricket: The perfect love story

From congested alleys of Karachi to lush greens of Mansehra and beyond, cricket remains country's favourite pastime

KARACHI: “They say Indians treat cricket as religion,” said a guy waiting to play in the lush greens of Mansehra in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. “But we can’t say that in Pakistan because if you associate anything with the word religion it is considered blasphemous. However, cricket for us is no less sacrosanct — because this is what we have for entertainment, this is all that we have for entertainment.”



The scorer sits and keeps a track of the runs being scored. Never knew pads had other uses as well. PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS



The makeshift pavillion, under a tree, in the shade. PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS



Preparing a scoresheet for a 20-over match - the Pakistani style. PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS

Pakistan’s recent victory in the Champions Trophy and Pakistan Cricket Board’s recent move to promote the sport at college and school levels has reinvigorated the passion of a nation that still worships its heroes of 1992 and 2009.

However, after the 2009 calamity — an attack on the Sri Lanka players’ bus — Pakistan’s new generation lost something. International cricket left Pakistan, and while everyone talks about the effect on players after they were forced into exile, few highlight the lost enthusiasm in the sport by the youngsters.

International cricket was struck a fatal blow in Lahore. But what died a slower — much more painful — death was the obsession of the youth with the sport.

Nearly all Pakistani cricketing legends’ stories recount falling in love with the game through street cricket, and later, after watching their idols play in cities across Pakistan in stadiums, being inspired to repeat their heroes’ exploits. The current generation lacks the latter opportunity.



The only crowd during the match. PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS

Somehow, street cricket is still alive in Pakistan but the absence of international cricket has sucked the life out of a nation that treats the sport as an integral part of their culture and lifestyle.

The victory in the Champions Trophy went a long way in returning that passion to the masses. It gave the millions playing on the streets someone to look to up to — in the likes of Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Fakhar Zaman, new heroes were born.

The lesson

The world was awestruck when Pakistan — against all odds — won the Champions Trophy, that too after beating arch-rivals India.

All over the world people say Pakistanis are passionate about the game. They have watched the players in the ranks, they have watched Sarfraz Ahmed scream and run after scoring a century, they have seen the crazed elation when Aamir takes a wicket. But what they haven’t seen are those that play in every nook and cranny of the country.

The ‘passion’ that everyone talks about can be seen when these aspiring cricketers walk, climb and jog for hours to reach whatever ‘pitch’ they can find. In Mansehra, it was a lush grass field but often in the bigger cities it is little more than a level piece of cement and concrete.



Walk! PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS



Cross rivers and streams! PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS



Then walk more! PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS

The passion can be seen when they dismiss a player and celebrate like the whole world is watching, as if they have just won the World Cup rather than some backyard game with little but pride on the line. It becomes evident when a player scores a fifty and raises his bat to his teammates — it seems almost as if he expects the heavens to praise his ability.

The love of cricket in Pakistan goes as far back as the country itself and over the years it has only grown stronger — even if they have experienced more downs than ups in these 70 years.



The view before and after the match — an abandoned pitch! PHOTO: ABDUL MAJID/ EXPRESS

Love demands hardships, it requires undeterred resolve, it pushes you to what you considered impossible, but after all the adversities, it rewards you with unmatchable bliss. For Pakistanis, the love for cricket has done just that. It has given them one more reason to enjoy life — for some, it is the only reason. The summer of love is here in Pakistan once again.