Introduction

Not too long ago, in 1996, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka jointly hosted the Cricket World Cup in South Asia. Today, India’s cricket team is unwilling to play in Pakistan, and all their Champions Trophy matches are being held in Dubai.

On one hand, Indian cricketers refuse to come to Pakistan, but on the other hand, many Indian sports journalists have arrived in Pakistan under the guise of covering the Champions Trophy.

An editor of a major Indian newspaper sent me a message saying that their sports reporter was coming to Pakistan and asked if I could arrange an interview with Babar Azam. I asked the respected editor why they had sent their reporter when their cricket team was unwilling to visit Pakistan. He responded, “Forget these things, brother! Pakistan is a huge product. From Indian politics and the film industry to cricket, everything related to Pakistan sells well.”

Currently, a debate is ongoing in India: despite refusing to play in Pakistan and banning Indian cricketers from participating in the PSL, international cricket in Pakistan did not come to an end. In fact, Pakistan is now hosting the Champions Trophy. The editor further stated that they sent their reporter to uncover the real story behind Pakistan’s cricket success.

Indian sports journalists covering the Champions Trophy will write various stories, but to truly understand the difference between Pakistan and India, one must examine their cricket systems. Both nations share a passionate love for the game, a passion rooted in a pre-Partition tournament played in Bombay (Mumbai), Karachi, Madras (Chennai), and Calcutta (Kolkata).

This tournament featured four teams: Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, and Europeans. Later, in 1937, a joint team of Christians, Sikhs, and Jews joined, increasing the number of teams to five.

The tournament, called the Bombay Pentangular, always received congratulatory messages from Quaid-e-Azam whenever the Muslim team won. When Mahatma Gandhi realized that the Bombay Pentangular was reinforcing the Two-Nation Theory, he opposed its continuation.

In 1934 and 1935, the Muslim team defeated the Hindu team, causing an uproar. The key player for the Muslims was Wazir Ali, while the Hindu team’s star was CK Nayudu.

In 1940, Congress stopped Hindu players from playing against Muslims, leading to the Hindu team’s withdrawal from the Bombay Pentangular. However, the tournament continued, and the Muslim team emerged victorious. Eventually, the Hindu team returned but lost the final to the Muslims in 1944.

Cricket wasn’t a mainstream sport back then, but it carried significance.

In 2013, former Pakistan Foreign Secretary and PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan wrote a book, Cricket Cauldron, with a foreword by Imran Khan. This book, for the first time, highlighted the role of cricket in the Pakistan Movement.

After the creation of Pakistan and India in 1947, the first-ever Pakistan-India cricket series took place in 1952, four years after the 1948 war.

The Pakistani team toured India for this historic series.

In 1955, when the Indian team visited Pakistan, over 10,000 Indian fans obtained visas to watch the matches. At that time, Lahore did not have a major stadium, so the Test matches were held at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground. The Gaddafi Stadium was built much later.

Few people know that the longest cricketing deadlock between Pakistan and India lasted from 1961 to 1978—a period of 17 years without a single match.

In 1978, upon General Zia-ul-Haq’s request, Morarji Desai’s government sent the Indian team to Pakistan. During these matches, protests erupted with slogans demanding Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s release. At one Lahore match, Begum Nusrat Bhutto was struck by police batons while protesting for her husband’s release.

General Zia used cricket as a distraction from politics, while the Pakistan People’s Party used it as a platform to demand Bhutto’s release.

Despite the cricketing revival, tensions between Pakistan and India did not ease. In 1984, India quietly occupied the Siachen Glacier, escalating the conflict.

In 1996, Pakistan and India co-hosted the World Cup again, but by 1999, the Kargil conflict had erupted.

During Musharraf’s tenure, cricket was used as a diplomatic tool to improve relations between the two nations, but because Kashmiris were not taken into confidence, no breakthrough was achieved. The 2008 Mumbai attacks derailed any progress, leading to a hostile response.

In 2009, the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked in Lahore, which India used as an excuse to boycott cricket in Pakistan. This boycott caused Pakistan many difficulties, but ultimately, hosting the Champions Trophy after 29 years is a major defeat for India.

India is undoubtedly a powerhouse in international cricket, with a structured and well-organized cricket system. Regional associations conduct tournaments from school and college levels to universities. A solid club cricket framework exists.

In contrast, Pakistan lacks a structured cricket system. A change in government leads to a complete overhaul of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Today, Pakistani cricket survives not because of the system, but due to the passion of its players, who fight through nepotism and favoritism to earn their place. Their sacrifices are often exploited by powerful figures for personal gains.

The story of Pakistani cricket is the story of Pakistan itself—a system where Babar Azam is not given a place in his hometown Lahore’s team. Instead, he plays for Islamabad. But when Babar Azam becomes a national hero, Lahore takes the credit.

Pakistan Movement and Cricket

India’s Changing Stance on Cricket with Pakistan

Not too long ago, in 1996, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka jointly hosted the Cricket World Cup in South Asia. Today, India’s cricket team is unwilling to play in Pakistan, and all their Champions Trophy matches are being held in Dubai.

On one hand, Indian cricketers refuse to come to Pakistan, but on the other hand, many Indian sports journalists have arrived in Pakistan under the guise of covering the Champions Trophy.

India’s Media Interest in Pakistan Cricket

An editor of a major Indian newspaper sent me a message saying that their sports reporter was coming to Pakistan and asked if I could arrange an interview with Babar Azam. I asked the respected editor why they had sent their reporter when their cricket team was unwilling to visit Pakistan.

He responded, “Forget these things, brother! Pakistan is a huge product. From Indian politics and the film industry to cricket, everything related to Pakistan sells well.”

Currently, a debate is ongoing in India: despite refusing to play in Pakistan and banning Indian cricketers from participating in the PSL, international cricket in Pakistan did not come to an end. In fact, Pakistan is now hosting the Champions Trophy.

The editor further stated that they sent their reporter to uncover the real story behind Pakistan’s cricket success.

Roots of Cricket Passion in Pakistan and India

To truly understand the difference between Pakistan and India, one must examine their cricket systems. Both nations share a passionate love for the game, a passion rooted in a pre-Partition tournament played in Bombay (Mumbai), Karachi, Madras (Chennai), and Calcutta (Kolkata).

This tournament featured four teams: Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, and Europeans. Later, in 1937, a joint team of Christians, Sikhs, and Jews joined, increasing the number of teams to five.

The Role of the Bombay Pentangular Tournament

The tournament, called the Bombay Pentangular, always received congratulatory messages from Quaid-e-Azam whenever the Muslim team won. When Mahatma Gandhi realized that the Bombay Pentangular was reinforcing the Two-Nation Theory, he opposed its continuation.

In 1934 and 1935, the Muslim team defeated the Hindu team, causing an uproar. The key player for the Muslims was Wazir Ali, while the Hindu team’s star was CK Nayudu.

In 1940, Congress stopped Hindu players from playing against Muslims, leading to the Hindu team’s withdrawal from the Bombay Pentangular. However, the tournament continued, and the Muslim team emerged victorious. Eventually, the Hindu team returned but lost the final to the Muslims in 1944.

Cricket wasn’t a mainstream sport back then, but it carried significance.

Shahryar Khan’s Book on Cricket and the Pakistan Movement

In 2013, former Pakistan Foreign Secretary and PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan wrote a book, Cricket Cauldron, with a foreword by Imran Khan. This book, for the first time, highlighted the role of cricket in the Pakistan Movement.

The First Pakistan-India Cricket Series

After the creation of Pakistan and India in 1947, the first-ever Pakistan-India cricket series took place in 1952, four years after the 1948 war. The Pakistani team toured India for this historic series.

In 1955, when the Indian team visited Pakistan, over 10,000 Indian fans obtained visas to watch the matches. At that time, Lahore did not have a major stadium, so the Test matches were held at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground. The Gaddafi Stadium was built much later.

The Longest Cricketing Deadlock (1961–1978)

Few people know that the longest cricketing deadlock between Pakistan and India lasted from 1961 to 1978—a period of 17 years without a single match.

In 1978, upon General Zia-ul-Haq’s request, Morarji Desai’s government sent the Indian team to Pakistan. During these matches, protests erupted with slogans demanding Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s release.

At one Lahore match, Begum Nusrat Bhutto was struck by police batons while protesting for her husband’s release.

General Zia used cricket as a distraction from politics, while the Pakistan People’s Party used it as a platform to demand Bhutto’s release.

Cricket Amidst Political Conflicts

Despite the cricketing revival, tensions between Pakistan and India did not ease.

1984: India quietly occupied the Siachen Glacier, escalating the conflict.
1996: Pakistan and India co-hosted the World Cup again, but by 1999, the Kargil conflict had erupted.
2008: The Mumbai attacks led to heightened hostility.
2009: The Sri Lankan cricket team attack in Lahore was used as a justification for India’s cricket boycott of Pakistan.
This boycott caused Pakistan many difficulties, but ultimately, hosting the Champions Trophy after 29 years is a major defeat for India.

India’s Structured Cricket System vs. Pakistan’s Struggles

India is undoubtedly a powerhouse in international cricket, with a structured and well-organized cricket system.

Regional associations conduct tournaments from school and college levels to universities.
A solid club cricket framework exists.
In contrast, Pakistan lacks a structured cricket system. A change in government leads to a complete overhaul of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The True Strength of Pakistani Cricket

Today, Pakistani cricket survives not because of the system, but due to the passion of its players, who fight through nepotism and favoritism to earn their place.

Their sacrifices are often exploited by powerful figures for personal gains.

The story of Pakistani cricket is the story of Pakistan itself—a system where Babar Azam is not given a place in his hometown Lahore’s team. Instead, he plays for Islamabad. But when Babar Azam becomes a national hero, Lahore takes the credit.

This structured version makes the article more readable and engaging while maintaining its original essence. Let me know if you need any modifications! 😊