Daily Times

Crippled by Covid and the ensuing economic crises, the world should not be made to bear the brunt of another controversy in the cricketing arena that played with the emotions of millions.

The Kiwis who came to Pakistan were, undoubtedly, given insurmountable stealth security. Amid this, Wellington’s decision to call back its players is, undoubtedly, shrouded in a colossal controversy. The black caps probably never wanted to be tainted with a debacle just before the World Cup.

Sheepishly abandoning their tour of Pakistan and suddenly slithering under the garb of security threat could make for a good script but no reality. With not an iota of truth visible, one wonders why this threat could not be perceived as the cricket team wandered in the sweet serenity of Pakistan, protected by the highest level of state’s security.

The Kiwis’ abrupt departure casts a doubt on their ability to match the cricketing marvel of green shirts before the World Cup.

It is an unfathomable fact that the flamingly furious fan following of cricketing nations across the globe are ruled by public opinion that soars high on the wave of colossal cricket charisma.

Undoubtedly the second most widely played game in the world after football, cricket is highly popular in the intensely populous nations of South Asia like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Siri Lanka. Another player seen emerging in recent times is China.

The Kiwis’ abrupt departure casts a doubt on their ability to match the cricketing marvel of green shirts before the World Cup.

Cricket has been cherished by the people of the Indian Subcontinent for a long. The charisma attached to the world of cricket can be used to usher in an era of renewed diplomatic relations to bring the world suffering from the post-Covid crises to a new pedestal. Enhanced diplomatic relations can bring peace to this plightful political paradigm plagued by power politics.

Unfortunately, for as long as one can remember, cricket diplomacy is always seen using the game as a political tool to enhance or worsen the diplomatic relations between two nations. The wrath of the warring world was witnessed in 1934–5 when a statue of Prince Albert was vandalised in Sydney. An ear was knocked off and the word “BODYLINE” was painted on it. There were significant consequences for Anglo-Australian relations, which remained strained until the outbreak of World War II made cooperation paramount. The business was adversely affected, as citizens of each country displayed a preference to not buy goods manufactured in the other. Australian commerce also suffered even in British colonies.

The situation escalated into a diplomatic incident between the countries as the MCC–supported by the British public–held the opinion that their fast-leg theory tactic was harmless and took serious offence at being branded “unsportsmanlike.”However many people saw Bodyline as fracturing an international relationship between nations.

In 2008, the England and Wales cricket board cancelled Zimbabwean 2009’s tour of England, and the English government suspended all bilateral relations between the two states in response to the situation regarding the 2008 presidential elections.

Another high tide of diplomatic relations was witnessed by the world in the shape of stadium diplomacy led by China in the 2007 World Cup. Antigua had received a $55 million grant to build the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium, while Jamaica received $30 million for a new stadium. China basically eclipsed the International Cricket Council’s role by a generous amount of 132 million dollars, which dwarfed the 70 million dollars of ICC ten year budget for the entire world on the cricket.

Sports and other cultural activities are passionately pulsating with people. Thus, no one’s opinion should be politically construed to dampen this charisma. As this has backlashed in the past and will have a domino effect in the future as well, the world and its people, especially in a life curtailed by Covid, should be allowed to breathe. And, what a wonderful breather than a match of classic cricket during this crisp season of autumn to celebrate the new normal not only in the real world but even the diplomatic arena.

Spectators and citizens of a free world cannot be crippled by cruel cricket controversies created in the laboratory of global politics. We, the people of the post-Covid world, need a fresh breather. People across the world should stand up to withstand this Cyclone B (Zyklon B cyanide-based pesticide was invented in Germany in the early 1920s to murder around 1.1 million people in gas chambers) of cricket’s cruel diplomacy.

The writer is a senior lawyer practising in the High Court, based in Chakwal, Choa Saidan Shah. She is a former member of the parliament.