The behaviour of the crowd in Ahmedabad during the recent Pakistan-India match was a sorry sight. Chanting slogans, derogatory remarks, and fights among the crowd were a reflection of the intolerance that has seeped deeper into Indian society. It is a sad state of affairs that this violent and intolerant behaviour has marred the mega event of cricket. Cricket, or any other sport, is meant to bring people closer and bridge the divides. But what happened in Ahmedabad was the exact opposite of it.
Growing religious intolerance has been India’s major problem since 2014 when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to rule. Hate speech and hate crimes against religious minorities, especially Muslims, are a regular occurrence. Seeing the hate infiltrate the cricket stadium raises questions about the role of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in such matters. Both ICC and the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) must take notice of what happened in Ahmedabad. Such incidents should not be brushed under the carpet because they threaten to steal away the spirit of cricket.
Historically, the field is charged when Pakistan and India encounter each other in a cricket match. But the emotions should not turn into hateful, derogatory remarks. Such incidents tarnish the morale of cricketers and impact their performance. Cricket must remain a fair and inclusive sport and no biases, whether religious or based on nationality, should be allowed to alter that. Hosting the mega event, India has a strict responsibility to ensure that such incidents do not occur and that the Indian crowd is welcoming towards all teams and their respective fans.
India’s hostility towards Pakistan was apparent right from the onset of the World Cup. First, suspicions were that BCCI would not issue visas to the Pakistani team and later on, a similar attitude was seen regarding journalist visas. It is very disheartening to see authorities being as hostile as the crowd in Ahmedabad. When BCCI is shying away from upholding the spirit of the sport, we cannot expect much from the crowd. Nevertheless, the ICC must intervene and ensure that such incidents do not recur.