Spring in the air

In the prelude to today8217;s Karachi match, passions have been stirred so intensely that it is easy to confuse the enormity of the moment. There is deep significance in the contests that will take place on the cricket field for the next 35 days. But that significance will lie not in the scoresheets, it will be located in the participation of millions of Indians and Pakistanis in this extended bout between infrequent adversaries. An Indo-Pak match is cricket8217;s greatest spectacle. Rightly so. The two teams draw from a common pool of flamboyant batting and innovative bowling. In pitting their skills against each other, Indian and Pakistani cricketers are called upon to raise their game and think out of the box. But, of course, the buzz comes from the cloud of tension that hangs heavy over the stadium. As traditional rivals, cricketers are especially charged. As viewers schizophrenically casting each other as bitter enemy or long-lost sibling, the people of the two countries bring the baggage of history and circumstance to the encounters. It would thus be stating the obvious to say that the stakes don8217;t get any higher than this.

The stakes are extraordinarily high for this cricket tour. And those stakes are best considered in the timeframe in which the Indian team8217;s itinerary has been braided in. Just a few months ago, the neighbours had snapped virtually all links. Diplomatic contact was at a minimum, travel across the border non-existent and dialogue between civilians impossible. Amidst the resumption of official dialogue, it has been Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee singular success that he has diffused the peace process so extensively. Foreign offices tend to be unduly enamoured of their confidence-building measures and, in turn, terribly suspicious of allowing unfettered interaction between ordinary citizens. This why the tour should not be seen simply as a shot at cricket diplomacy. It is an occasion for Indians to venture forth across the border to watch matches and do the tourist twirl. It is a chance for Indians and Pakistanis, from however afar, to meet on a terrain free of the diplomat8217;s jargon and the politician8217;s rhetoric.

In the month ahead, therefore, let us treasure the cricket on offer. But remember, the game is larger than the matches, and the prospect of winning hearts that the peace process provides is more important than the victories and defeats that will be tabulated by tour8217;s end.