The Pakistani fan’s reprimanding of fast bowler Harris Rauf in the United States in particular and the brutal criticism and trolling of the entire Pakistani cricket in general on social media indicates what moral values and acceptance of defeat in sports we have bred in Pakistan in a few years. Who is responsible for such moral trading of the future builders of the nation? This is not rocket science to understand.
No matter whether one lives in Pakistan or has gone abroad like that of the USA, these degraded moral values and lack of sportsman spirit remain with them. This vice is practiced against politicians, the judiciary, the military, and even citizens. Who is responsible for injecting such lowest standards, particularly among the youth is a question that needs to be addressed to make us a really healthy society. Are politicians, the judiciary, the military establishment, and our families ready to take this responsibility?
There has been significant resentment and anger among Pakistan fans both in the US and back home due to the team’s lackluster performance in the T20 World Cup, following their disappointing show in the ODI World Cup last year in India. Captain Babar Azam faced heavy criticism for failing to unite the team and lead by example, with former cricketers and fans in Pakistan calling for his removal from the captaincy.
Star cricketer Haris Rauf in a video was seen losing his temper when a Pakistani fan from a distance reportedly abused him for his and the Pakistani team’s poor performance in America. According to reports, a video went viral showing that the cricketer was strolling with his wife on the premises of a place where he was staying with his family in Florida – USA. The video begins with Rauf calling that so-called cricket fan an Indian, but the fan reportedly confirmed him being a Pakistani. Rauf’s wife tried to stop him, but he in any way and ran towards the fan. The video also captures Rauf and the fan throwing expletives at each other. The Indian media encasing the situation was found highlighting comments that could further damage the repute of the Pakistani nation. The Indian media displayed many comments of which some were as: “Pakistan players gone mad after facing humiliation in T20 WC.”
“His mental health is not well after those 2 sixes by Virat Kohli.” “Why always Pakistan fight with Fans?” This video just on that day garnered over 4,59,000 views when several came with several comments on the Pakistani team. The moral behavior of the Pakistani fans and the cricketer is being discussed as pathetic. Both sides indicated how morally and emotionally we are educated to bear defeat.
Reportedly Haris Rauf accepted his mistake for making the ‘Indian’ remark during his altercation with the fans, but fans both in Pakistan and abroad are not willing to retrieve from what they are yelling on social media. Losing matches can be a point of concern, but are the fans more concerned than the team itself? There can be mistakes and of course there are, but which national team intentionally desires to let down its nation and its national flag? Was the Pakistani team the only loser in this tournament? Do the fans buy the match tickets on some guarantee that their money will be rewarded with the declared win?
To decide about the steps of failure is the job of the cricket board of Pakistan or is it the mandate of fans to decide on roads who should play and who played what? The fans can discuss in drawing rooms and not beyond that. The fans who have some extra problems with the team’s defeat should prove themselves capable of playing guaranteed crocket or any other sport on the grounds or before the authorities.
This is Pakistan’s team and we should love it. Yes, if changes are required, they can be made by the authorities concerned. On the other criticism can be avoided by international figures the way Mr. Rauf tried to avert it. There should be a decent way if one is interested to rely on those fans criticizing them publicly.
This trend of bitter, indecent, and morally pathetic comments on social media stood fostering particularly after a political party with the convenience of the military establishment was being brought into the system of Pakistan. Social media emerged as a war tool against opponents when this ground was leveled for that party. It was a time to justify that those ousted from power were not suitable for Pakistan.
The former military establishment is responsible for the moral training of the nation along with the PTI itself. The families of supporters of a particular political party helped shape their children with such immoral training. A widely immoral campaign against the judges of this country was also witnessed and is still going on. We never saw a suo-moto or a petition landed in the courts in this regard that could help shape the youth to express morally standardized and worldly accepted criticism on social media and the roads.
We all are responsible for such behaviors and everyone needs to take responsibility and play a role in the future. This is not just about a particular cricketer, a specific judge of a court, a specific general, a politician, or a particular fan. This is about Pakatan and all about telling the world that we are a decent nation.
(Author: Rana Kashif)