At Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, October 24, for the first time in the history of the cricket world cup, Pakistan defeated India in the T20 World Cup. India’s unexpected performance drew some mixed reactions. While many Indian fans were left numb by India’s defeat, there were these so-called liberals who went into a frenzy interpreting it as a defeat for ‘Bhakts’ and not for India as a country.
Fireworks were set off in some parts of India, also drawing the ire of cricketer Virendra Sehwag, who mocked the pointless ban on Diwali celebrations and has questioned the bursting of firecrackers after India’s loss to Pakistan in the T20 World Cup match.
In the midst of all this, there were Pakistan Hindu refugees living in North Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar who were unstirred by the game. OpIndia spoke to a Pakistani Hindu refugee from the Sindh province of Pakistan residing in Adarsh Nagar for the past decade. She appeared completely unaffected by Sunday’s India vs Pakistan cricket match. In fact, she wore a look of utter disgust for the game on her face.
The reason, she said, was the series of sufferings and adversities the Hindu women refugees in Pakistan had to bear each time the country lost cricket matches to India in the past. She divulged how each time Pakistan lost, the Muslims in the country avenged the loss by abducting and abusing Hindu girls and women living there.
At first, she was hesitant to speak since she feared the consequences her relatives living in Pakistan might have to face if she divulged details. “I am afraid, my parents, brothers and sisters are all in Pakistan, they may be in danger”, she said.
However, the woman, who was running a small tea stall outside North Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar camp mustered up the courage to divulge the details. She reiterated that whenever Pakistan has lost any cricket match to India, the Muslims back in the country have always taken out their frustration on the Hindu women. To avenge the loss to India, they abduct Hindus girls and women.
Referring to a four or five years old incident, she said: “When Kohli (Virat Kohli) won the match, three Gujarati Hindu girls were picked up from our area back in Pakistan. They do horrible things when they lose a match. Even Pakistan’s police are unwilling to intervene. The girls return occasionally but most of the time they don’t and we sit at home weary and helpless,” rued the tea seller.
“I generally don’t speak on video because I don’t know what will happen to my family in Pakistan…they would be killed,” a Hindu refugee woman who has lived in India since 2011 stated, concerned about her relatives in Pakistan. She eventually consented to speak with OpIndia, though fear was clearly visible in her eyes.
Speaking about the incident, she said whenever Pakistan loses to India in cricket, the Pakistani Muslims go on a rampage. They begin taking out their rage and frustration on the Hindu women and girls. These women, who are already living in miserable conditions in the neighbouring country, become the target of the angst of these Pakistanis.
The Adarsh Nagar resident added that whenever they speak to their family members in Pakistan, the latter share many such stories with them, leaving them extremely depressed and anxious. She said that life here in Adarsh Nagar has been dismal as they are having to live without basic amenities like water and electricity. However, they don’t even want to return to Pakistan because life there is so much more difficult for them.
She was upset that the persecuted Hindus are having to bear the burden of Pakistan’s losses against India in a game. She was appalled by the extent of hostility and grudges carried by Pakistani Muslims against Hindus. This, she said, is a clear indication of the level of victimization and discrimination the Hindu refugees are facing in the terror state of Pakistan.
These Pakistani Hindu immigrants residing in the Adarsh Nagar neighbourhood of North Delhi have been staying here despite some difficulties, like scarcity of water and electricity, but they say it is worth it for the sake of their self-respect, dignity, and safety of life.
History has proven that Indo-Pak matches have never been just a game for both Indians and the people of Pakistan. It has always been seen as nothing less than a war. This is why every time Pakistan has lost a match against India, fans in Pakistan have been seen venting their frustration by doing some crazy things like thrashing and hammering their TV sets and creating ruckus on the streets.
This time, when Pakistan defeated India in the T20 World Cup for the very first time in history, the fans in the country were seen creating similar ruckus on the streets, this time in celebration of their historic victory.
Thousands took to the streets in big cities like Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Quetta on Sunday night. During this, a large number of people also expressed their exhilaration by firing in the air. In Karachi alone, at least 12 people were injured in incidents of aerial firing at different places.
Not just this, following Pakistan’s win over India in a T20 World Cup match, Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad called it a ‘victory for the Muslim world’. He also alleged that the sympathies of the Indian Muslims lay with the Pakistan team. The minister even claimed by winning a T20 match, Pakistan has proved its capabilities in the Muslim world.
The Pakistani Interior Minister claimed that the victory of the Pakistani team in the cricket match was a victory for the entire Muslim world.
پاکستان انڈیا میچ ٹکرا:
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) October 24, 2021
پاکستانی کرکٹ ٹیم اور عوام کو مبارکباد پیش کرتا ہوں.https://t.co/Tc0IG0n2DJ@GovtofPakistan @ImranKhanPTI #PakvsIndia pic.twitter.com/e9RkffrK2O
If a single victory over India can elicit such extreme reactions, one can only imagine how far these Pakistanis must be going every time they lose to India.
Pakistan defeated India for the first time in a World Cup event on Sunday after they defeated India by 10 wickets in their opening match of the T20 World Cup. Pakistan chased down the target of 152 with 13 balls to spare. The men in green never looked in trouble and chased down the target comfortably.
There has never been a World Cup match, be it ODI or T20, where Pakistan has beaten India. Of the 12 matches that have taken place between these two sides in World Cups, the Men in Blue have emerged triumphant every time. Even when it comes to T20s, India have beaten Pakistan on all 5 occasions, including the famous 2007 World T20 final.
However, Sunday’s match became an exception with Pakistan paving history as it defeated India by 10 wickets
