THE persistent use of the cliché-ridden term ‘arch-rivals’ for Pakistan-India cricket encounters has become nauseating. While on the subject, my mind goes back to an incident that took place way back in 1979 at Wankhede Stadium in Bombay (since renamed Mumbai). Pakistani team, under the captaincy of Asif Iqbal, was playing against its traditional adversary.

I was allotted a front seat in the media box, courtesy music critic and cricket writer Raju Bharatan, who introduced me to a sports reporter from Australia. “Oh! He is from your arch-rival country, like he is from ours,” said the Australian as he pointed towards a sports writer from England.

“What bloody nonsense!” remarked the late Rajan Bala, who was sitting in the third row. “We have fought three full-fledged wars, while you idiots have not even thrown stones at each other,” said the Indian writer, who was known as much for his foul mouth as he was for his knowledge of the game.

Asif Noorani
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2023