Sports rivalry is as old as time, and cricket is not excluded. Many other teams in the cricket world are known for their long-lasting clashes on the field, but the Indian-Pakistan rivalry seems to stem from the ancient political and economic conflict between the two nations. No wonder it is more intense than any other.
The conflict between India and Pakistan extends to both team’s players and fans. This is why the matches between both nations are one of the most anticipated. This rivalry fuels both teams’ passion for winning every game. Hence, Indian-Pakistan cricket clashes give fans a quality match and attract very high viewership. For instance, the last Sunday match between these two nations had more than one billion people following all media outlets. These matches also attract massive betting action from punters. You can visit https://pari-match.in/en/page/cricket-india-vs-pakistan to bet on cricket matches between the two teams.
Given the long history of socio-political conflict between these two countries, we know that the rivalry goes beyond cricket. That said, here are some reasons why the India-Pakistan cricket match is more than just a sport.
Dignity
To fans and players of both teams, winning a cricket match is a matter of dignity. For instance, in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Pakistan had no chance of getting to the semifinals. Although they had already lost 89 runs, and their Sunday match with India won’t guarantee their place in the semifinals, they still played with vigor to win for dignity. Hence, it is safe to say that Pakistan’s players and fans saw it more derailing to lose to India than to lose the world cup itself. It is not surprising that Indian fans also feel the same way. However, India remains the world cup favorite, holding the 50-over format record against Pakistan.
The game itself
While we can attribute this rivalry to anything else, it is still not so far from the cricket game itself. Major cricket events are followed by billions of viewers and supporters worldwide. Hence, it is safe to say nothing beats being cheered and praised for winning. The fact that the matches between India and Pakistan are one of the biggest in the cricket world globally also fuels this rivalry.
Above all, it is noteworthy that cricket has been a major event that brings the two countries together after their years of feuds. The countries have maintained respect for each other in their matches despite the heat. A Pakistani chief once told the news that “the Indian-Pakistan game is always big. It’s like the final before the final.”
Politics in cricket
The place of politics cannot be overlooked when studying the rivalry between India and Pakistan. For instance, the 2008 attack on Mumbai made India cut relations with Pakistan after intel claimed that the attack was from Pakistan. Also, no cricket match has been allowed in Pakistan since the attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009. However, the recent border clash between both neighboring countries has increased their tension on and off the field.
The allegations of Pakistan having terrified their opposition in cricket matches have become a thing. This made India once consider skipping the world cup match with Pakistan. However, both teams agreed on taking the games as just a game and nothing more. This brought about the signing of the peace agreement between the management of both teams to ensure that every game goes without an uproar. In recent years, both teams are beginning to understand that cricket is not another chance to war against each other but to strengthen their relationship.
Online Fever
The effect of online platforms also contributes to the heat between these two teams. Supporters of either team take to several social media platforms to troll their opponents with jokes, bants, and memes. Fans go to the extent of calling players of each team out on social media for weak bowling or any other form of weakness.
On the last Sunday match between India and Pakistan, fans from both countries posted funny memes to undermine the opposition team on the internet. One of the popular memes would be when a Twitter user from India posted Mohamed Amir’s picture in the middle of the pitch and compared it to the Pakistani military violations, signaling their underlying issues. These posts usually attract many reactions from both countries.
Players of both teams understand the bragging right they give their fans on social media when they win. Hence, they display grit and bring on their best performances on the field.
Conclusion
Above all, the relationship in cricket between India and Pakistan remains a respectable one, for the most part. Both teams have gone to various lengths to ensure the rivalry is healthy and duly contained. However, we always look forward to having them on the field because what’s cricket without the tension? You can sign up at Parimatch for excellent betting odds on cricket matches.
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