Go Green Team
by
Talib Hussain
India is also suffering from the problem of terrorist attacks, but of course not at the scale at which Pakistan is. Who can ever forget the Mumbai attacks? Which left numerous injured and dead. That time, England’s cricket team was on a visit to play ODI’s in India. But had to return back for the Test Matches again in a month’s time. After the attacks in Mumbai, there was a lot of talk of whether the English team will visit India, considering the security situation. But to everyone’s surprise, England`s cricket team was back in India to play the return leg of their tour.
Everyone was shocked at this, because nobody thought that cricket would revive so early in India after the attacks. But the true story is; security does play an important role in deciding whether the players should tour or not, but it has more do to with the money being involved in it. India offers so much to the visiting teams that it gets difficult for players to say "No". That’s how you attract players to your country. It’s true that it involves a lot of money but see what India gets in return for it. In my opinion there is more extremism in India than in Pakistan but still to the world it seems that there is more extremism in Pakistan.
In my opinion this all has to do with the image. And one should accept this bitter reality that India is good at it. They know how to portray their image, and they are doing that with great poise. They have involved so much money into sports that all the players love to visit India. And all this helps to portray a better image of India to the whole world. Whereas Pakistan lacks all these things.
This is the reason why we are lagging behind. Sports does play an important role in portraying an image of your country. Just because we don’t have much to offer to sportsmen, that is why not many international events are organized here. And when there are no international events, that means nobody comes and visits Pakistan and they are left to maintain the same thinking about the country.
Sports Personalities - The Icons
Sportsmen or sports personalities in countries like Pakistan are icons to the nation. It has a reason to it; we are in a state where our leaders are corrupt and of course not setting a good example for the people. So this is where these sports personalities step in. They are the representatives of our Country. When they are touring any other country, their conduct needs to be pitch perfect. There should not be any unnecessary headlines about them. They are the ambassadors and represent their country. And if they do that then it portrays a good image of Pakistan.
Like now a days it has become a trend that all the touring teams do some social work in the country they tour. Fund raising dinners are held, charity concerts are organized. Such initiatives help reduce tensions and enable people to get closer to each other and increases harmony. A friendly environment is created which Pakistan is in dire need of and gives a message of peace by Pakistan. In a country like Pakistan, cricketers are looked upon as heroes of the Nation. So every time they perform well, they set a good example; both on and off the field.
Their performances make the nation proud. Children look towards them for inspiration. But they are only an inspiration when they set good examples and become a source of pride. Not when they let our nation down. Just like there have been a lot of situations when they have done the country proud, but a sad reality is that there have also been numerous occasions when they have let the country down. Who can forget the Ball-tampering drama or the Spot-fixing saga? This stooped our heads down and labelled us as cheats. Surely one of the most degrading moments of our life. The whole world witnessed it and in the end left 3 cricketers being imprisoned in England. It was such a shame to the people and the nation itself. This incident definitely didn’t set a good example and didn’t help our cause to portray a better image of Pakistan.
But where there is a Will there is a Way. Of late one of the famous cricket celebrities of Pakistan, Shahid Afridi has been a ray of hope to the nation, has really stepped forward and become a torch-bearer for the sake to improve Pakistan`s image. Every time he tours a country, after the cricket, he is busy attending fund-raising dinners or auctions his kit in charity. This is what is required from our sportsmen. They really need to set the example and lead the nation by example.
This epic piece is part and parcel of Talib Hussain`s thesis for his Pakistan Studies course titled "How Sports Can Improve the Image of our Nation". Talib is undertaking his BBA at Comsats Institute of Information and Technology.
Talib completed his schooling from Beaconhouse Islamabad Campus. He cleared O and A levels with good grades, has been a regular member of Youth Conferences and MUN's (Model United Nations). He participated at the Young Leaders` Conference at LUMS in 2010. Besides studying, Talib is a die-hard cricket enthusiast. He lives, loves, eats and breathes cricket.
Cricket has taught him a way of life. Cricket is everything to him. He was the Captain of both his school and College team(s). He lead his teams to various victories. Represented Islamabad in different cricket tournaments. And now is an integral part of COMSAT`s cricket team and recently got selected in the All Pakistan Comsats Team. Talib aspires to represent Pakistan One day at any level and make Pakistan proud. Pakistan Zindabad
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