Every nation needs some outlets to vent its frustration of daily mundane life. Something that can make us forget the ordinariness of our life, albeit for some time. Unfortunately for Pakistanis these outlets have been very few. Cinema has not been a constant source of entertainment, with standards and attendances dwindling. Thus, cricket being the only popular sport has been our national hobby. Most of us have played it in some form. Even if we haven’t played it, that doesn’t stop us from giving our expert opinion about it.
Cricket has been our major source of entertainment and attendances at matches have been usually great. Pakistan has co-hosted the 1987 and 1996 world cups. Pakistan had the honor of hosting the final of 1996 world cup. Given the inadequacy of national institutions, international cricket has been fairly well-managed up until 2009. Past international players often recall fond memories of their Pakistani tours. They got to know the people and their customs. Cricket projected a positive image of Pakistan.
The Pakistani fans are the best fans. They are passionate about the game. They know the game and understand its nuances. That is not to say that they don’t shout obscenities when they don’t like what’s happening on the field. Oh yes they do! But they also know their limits, and we haven’t seen any incident where the crowd threw bottles on the field or disrupted the game in any other way. They cheer every good effort even if it’s from the opposing team.
Given this beautiful history of the game in the country, the terrorist attack on Sri Lankan team in 2009 is all the more unfortunate. Not only has it ruined the already tarnished image of Pakistan, it has also lead to a cricketing isolation. Since that incident only Zimbabwe has toured Pakistan, and that too amid much speculation. But throughout the tour the fans were once again amazing. Hopefully with security situation getting better in the country, cricket will come back and fans will get to see local and international stars in action.
Through this isolation, PSL is the next big thing for the Pakistani fans. Rooting for their favorite cities and watching the likes of Peterson, Gayle and Watson play in their teams is a dream come true for most of the fans. It gives opportunity to young talent of Pakistan to learn from these stars, and gives us the chance to discuss cricket again.