The cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan is arguably one of the fiercest in global sport. While sport is held dear in Australian culture, for Indians and Pakistanis, cricket represents something greater, transcending passion to something more akin to religion. With the T20 World Cup being held on Australian shores for the first time, over 90,000 people descended upon the MCG. If it wasn’t the largest gathering of South Asians in history outside of South Asia, it would be mighty close.
The rivalry between the two nations is often characterised by political tensions. They last played a bilateral series over 10 years ago and now only play at global events. Indeed, bureaucratic tensions simmered before the match after the Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary, Jay Shah, unilaterally declared that India would not play the next Asia Cup in Pakistan. Yet, animosity could not have been any further from the stands of the MCG on Monday night.
