While the two countries are sworn enemies, the cricket fans beg to differ. ‘Chacha Cricket’, a well-known Pakistani superfan Abdul Jalil’s, fellow supporter, Farooq Anjum Shah, and iconic Indian cricket fan Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary shaking hands during the India-Pakistan clash in Dubai have taken social media by storm.
India registered a dominant win. However, their players’ decision to skip the customary post-match handshake with the Pakistani team, immediately sparked a debate over sportsmanship.
This fixture marked the first meeting between the two sides since tensions had escalated dangerously close to an all-out conflict in May.
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav hinted that the Government of India, the cricket board, and the team were in agreement. He said this when asked why the players did not shake hands with the Pakistani team after the match.
Fans from both countries put politics aside and enjoyed the match. This was in contrast to the no-handshake controversy on the field.
Jalil has travelled the world for over 50 years to support Pakistan. He was thrilled when his friend Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary greeted him during the innings break.
“I have known Sudhir since 2004, when he first came to Pakistan for the Pakistan-India series,” Jalil said.
“Sudhir came to me at the innings break yesterday (Sunday) and I told him that ‘your team played very well’ and I congratulated him.” But Jalil stated he was upset about the handshake fiasco on the field.
“What happened on the field was sad. But the crowd showed great sporting spirit,” he said.
“Yesterday, the fans had a great time in the match, the Indian and Pakistani fans. A lot of Indian fans came to me like they always do to take pictures and make videos.”
Meanwhile, Farooq Anjum Shah, known as Chacha Pakistani, shared his hope. He wished cricket would help bring peace between the two countries. “With love and friendship, India and Pakistan can rule this world together, not with hate and war,” he said.
“Yes, there are differences between the two countries, but we can always find a solution. And cricket can be a beautiful medium to find those solutions.”
