Cricket’s Silent Struggle: When Crisis Politics Shuts Down the Game We Loved
By Bilal Qayyum | May 10, 2025
A few days ago, I wrote about the pain of watching cricket — especially India vs Pakistan cricket — being poisoned by politics. Today, that pain has only deepened.
The Pakistan Super League and Indian Premiere League, the two biggest cricketing festivals in South Asia, now stand suspended. This isn’t because of rain or pitch issues. It’s because of escalating tensions and the growing shadow of war between two countries that once celebrated cricket like a religion.
As a Pakistani, I won’t pretend I don’t carry bias. We all do. But as a human being, as someone who grew up dreaming of India-Pakistan matches, who watched entire streets come to life for every six or wicket — I must say it: this isn’t how it’s supposed to be.
From Rivalry to Ruin
When the PSL shifted to the UAE after the Rawalpindi drone strike and was later suspended by the government, it felt like a punch to the gut. Just as that news settled in, the IPL also paused after a match in Dharamshala was called off. Security concerns. Airspace closures. Players evacuated. Commentators locked in hotel rooms. It read like a dystopian film script.
Except this isn’t fiction. This is real. This is happening now. And it’s heartbreaking.
The Game Meant to Heal, Now Hurts
Cricket has always meant more than just a game to us. It has been a rare platform where Indians and Pakistanis, no matter the division off the field, shared the same passion, madness, and love. The banter, the memes, the noise — all proved we understood each other more than we often admitted.
But now? Now, we see cricket silenced. Not because the players don’t want to play. But because the powerful, the political, and the overly suspicious don’t want them to.
I Still Remember the Magic
I remember when the IPL first started — Pakistani and Indian players side by side, representing franchises together. The charm of that first season was unmatched. Watching Shoaib Akhtar, the fastest bowler in the world, bowl thunderbolts for Kolkata… Afridi, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanveer — all lighting up the tournament. There was magic in that unity.
After that, I still watched IPL from time to time, but I always imagined: What if Virat Kohli played for Lahore Qalandars? A full house at Gaddafi Stadium, the crowd going wild. It sounds like a dream now, but it shouldn’t have to be.
Who Benefits from Division?
Let’s ask the real question: Who gains when cricket stops?
Not the fans. Not the players. Certainly not the sport.
It’s the warmongers. The headline-chasers. Those who thrive on rage, hate, and fake news. The media has exposed itself for running unchecked propaganda. We, the people, must pause, verify, and think.
There’s a difference between being patriotic and being blind. Between defending your country and shutting your eyes to the truth.
The Future We Still Can Choose
I still believe that day can come — not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary. Our future generations deserve better than this bitterness. And cricket can be the starting point.
For that to happen, we must:
Demand accountability — from media, from cricket boards, from leaders.
Reject blind hate — and call out those who profit from division.
Protect sport from politics — because every time we let politics win, cricket loses.
Final Thought
As I sit here thinking about how empty this May feels without the PSL matches I was supposed to edit, upload, cheer for, and celebrate — I can’t help but grieve. Not just for the lost matches, but for the lost moments. Lost peace. Lost sense.
But I still believe.
Because the same bat and ball that now rest in silence — they can still bring us together.
If we let them.
📖Also Read: From Lahore to Delhi: Can Cricket Survive the Rising Tensions Between PSL and IPL?
