Cricket is a religion in India, a country whose fans burn effigies of their captain every time they lose a game.
Ask Saurav Ganguly. His likeness was burnt after India lost its World Cup game against in Australia three weeks ago. And it has happened before. Fans also stoned Mohammad Kaif’s house in Calcutta after the game.
The stakes are even higher when India plays Pakistan. Pakistani and Indian fans yearn for these clashes. The intense sporting rivalry between these nations is fed by political and military tensions, so they seldom face each other on the cricket field.
The two sides last faced each other in 2000. So everyone knew that fans’ sentiments would run high when India faced Pakistan last Saturday.
Schools throughout India closed for the day and the chance to see their team thump the struggling Pakistanis live drew thousands of Indian fans to South Africa. South African Airways laid on five additional flights from India in the week before the game to cope with demand.
Even Bollywood stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Sunil Shetty flew out to watch the clash.
Pakistanis are also fanatical about cricket. In 1996 Wasim Akram, then captain, was threatened with death and had his house stoned when Pakistan were blown out the World Cup at home.
The fans can be relied on to serve up off-field entertainment whenever the two teams clash. And they did not disappoint last Saturday.
Centurion became a mini-Calcutta with cheering Indian fans and green-and-orange flags all over the stadium. Deafening chants and rhythmic whistles changed the quiet banks of Centurion stadium into a small India.
Prayer tents were set up for Muslim supporters and halaal food was served.
Every part of the stadium was filled with groups pledging undying support for one of the teams. Though Pakistan fielded a smaller contingent of fans, they were no less loud and fiery.
”If you lose, don’t come home,” one banner warned the Indian players. This sentiment was driven home when Zaheer Khan conceded four extras in the first over and was jeered. Indian fans take no prisoners.
But as the match progressed the Indian fans had reason to revel in their warriors’ prowess; by the end of the match they were being hailed as the best ever.
The Pakistanis’ love affair turned sour after Tendulkar hit Shaoaib Akhtar out the ground. Though their dwindling hopes were revived when Shoaib dismissed the little maestro, their pride was soon shattered and they left the stadium as shunned lovers.
The supporters were fanatics, but it did not lead to violence. The teams had done their best to promote goodwill among supporters by shaking hands before the game. These formalities could not disguise the fierce rivalry that transcended a mere berth in the Super 6 finals.
Saurav Ganguly and his Indian team might have said the match was just another game on the path to the World Cup last week, but he fooled no one.
”I am not feeling any more responsible than I already am, because it is a game after all. It’s just like playing against Zimbabwe, Australia, England or any other side,” India’s sullen captain said. But after India’s searing six-wicket victory over their archrivals, Ganguly was more than happy to beam.
”It’s hard to say how happy we all are,” the Indian captain grinned after the game. ”It is a huge game back home. All the schools are closed, all the offices are closed, so we’re happy to make people smile back in India.”
The Indian team admitted that media pressure and public interest before the game could be difficult to deal with. ”It is better we are not playing at home because we are away from the pressure of the fans and the media,” Dravid said before taking to the field.
Media interest in the game required another deck to be added to the press box to cope with demand.
The last time India played at Centurion, the journalists wrote scathing reports about the team’s inept batting; this time the praise was unstinting.
”India and Pakistan conjured up yet another stomach-churning epic thriller that no Bollywood or Hollywood can script,” the Times of India wrote.
The Hindustan Times said that India’s victory over Pakistan was the nations greatest conquest: ”For millions of Indians, their cricketers have won the World Cup, no matter who takes it home this month.”