India v Pakistan: More than a cricket match

Saturday sees a meeting between the teams ranked first and second in the world in one day cricket. India and Pakistan have both won each of their two matches at the Cricket World Cup. Tickets are reportedly changing hands for about $300,000 on the black market for the group stage clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India.

Whether in India or Pakistan, the millions who can't be in the 132,000-capacity ground, named after India's controversial but enduring Prime Minister, will doubtlessly be gripped by the sport. But this also represents something bigger.

"Being the hardcore cricket fan I am, I watch every cricket match of India. But there are a lot of Indians who will watch the match only because India is playing Pakistan, an eternal enemy country which hates the existence of the Indian people, state, and the country," Vinay Kumar, an Indian fan from New Delhi, told DW.

In his answer, Kumar referenced the 2008 Mumbai attacks when members of a militant Islamic organization from Pakistan killed 175 people in a flurry of shooting and bombing attacks. India have not toured Pakistan since two years before that incident (they are not alone in this stance) and the sides no longer play bilateral series against each other. It is one of a number of incidents, beginning with the Partitioning of British India in 1947, and taking in two major wars, the Kashmir conflict, several diplomatic fracas and countless harsh words, that have led to such hostile relations between the countries.

Narendra Modi stadium a controversial choice

The choice of stadium, or rather its name, has inflamed tensions still futher, according to some Pakistani fans.

"While the Indians would like the world to believe otherwise, it's a psychological ploy to intimidate the Pakistani team, as the stadium is named after the anti-Pakistani Prime minister of India and the home state of Gujarat is Narendra Modi's home state. So the anti-Pakistani sentiment would be there," Khurram Shehzad, a Pakistan fan from Lahore told DW.

Modi is perceived by a number of observers to be anti-Muslim. An alleged decision to pull back the police during an anti-Muslim riot in Gujarat (where he was Chief Minister) in 2002, which contributed to the killing of hundreds of people plays a part in that, as does the suggestion from many that India's Muslim minority population are treated as second class citizens in the country.

"The cricket teams by themselves have a bonhomie between them," Shehzad added. "As far as the general public is concerned, it's like a war for them, they would rather lose the World Cup than lose to each other."

Such sentiment is common in a number of fans DW spoke to, though some are much more conciliatory. "Given the unfortunate history both neighbors share, it is only natural for most to be driven by patriotism when it comes to supporting their team. However, one should consider it nothing more than a professional sporting event. The stadium is no place to practice politics or unfounded nationalism," Miran Rehmat Khan, a Pakistan fan from Islamabad, said.

On the other side of the divide, Purnima Tiwari pointed to similarities between the two nations. "Everything in India and Pakistan from Bollywood to music, history, and practices shows a strong link to a common cultural heritage anyways. If our entertainment isn't different then we can easily enjoy a friendly match together."

Pakistan fans denied VISAs

But Khan also concedes that such concepts of unity and openness are tested by India's decision to so far not allow Pakistani fans and journalists to travel to the tournament. This came after delaying the entry of Pakistan's players, a pair of decisions she said are "all about politics".

"[It] creates a damning shadow over its much-celebrated 'secular and open' social and political fabric," he added. "I am sure this would have been a great opportunity for people-to-people contact. It might have even been a step in the right direction towards normalizing diplomatic relations."

Muhammad Akram, a journalist and cricket fan from Lahore, agrees with his compatriot. "It is always a heart warming scene to see Pakistani supporters cheering their team in a foreign territory and it would have been of immense interest to see them in a stadium in India to support their team. It is not good that Pakistani fans were not allowed to cross over and more so for denying visas to journalists. This is against the spirit of the game and sportsmanship."

The VISA issue has caused plenty of off-field controversy, which the players, many of whom are teammates in club and franchise cricket, generally go out of their way to avoid. But plenty of Indian fans are less coy.

"I don't think there is any problem in this [failing to issue VISAs]. You reap what you sow. They should be thankful that we have welcomed their cricket team. They should not expect anything more than that," Himanshu Shukla, from Jaipur, told DW, while his compatriot Kumar was stronger still: "In an ideal world, the Pakistani cricket team would not be allowed to travel to India," he said, drawing parallels with how Russian athletes have been excluded from sporting events since the start of the Ukraine war.

No resolution in sight

The issues dividing these two countries, and many of their citizens and politicians are tangled, complex and fraught, with occasional meetings in major international cricket tournaments one of the few remaining times where the rivalry is given a defined shape.

"In India, it is customary to hear noises of [fire] crackers after India has won any big match. No matter which city or which neighborhood you are in," explained Tiwari. "So, even if you have been living under a rock, you will know that the Indian team is performing well." A Pakistan win would likely be celebrated in similar fashion back in Pakistan. But, as it stands, there will not be a single visiting fan able to cheer from the stands.

Whatever the result, the future of both teams in the tournament will not be resolved at this stage. Neither, it seems, will relations between these two countries.

Additional reporting by: Kalika Mehta, Maqbool Ahmad Malik and Vishal Shukla.

Edited by: James Thorogood