Bangladesh and India are facing each other in a World Cup Cricket quarter-final match on Thursday, March 19 in Melbourne, Australia. As a cricket lover and a Bangladeshi, I am looking forward to enjoying a good match against the defending champion. But the purpose of this blog is to vent some bottled-up emotions.
The fans of these two countries are right now involved in mudslinging - they are badmouthing and belittling each other. They are making videos and creating social media posts to mock the opposition. I have gone through several dozen Facebook posts and status updates written around the March 19 match in the last 48 hours. Most of these posts and the comments below them are very demeaning, containing derogatory words and phrases. Many of the comments are written to dehumanize the opposition. The cricket lovers are also dragging religion and politics into their cricket posts. They are forgetting that it's just a cricket match, and a cricket match only.
I believe that sports should not ruin personal relationships. A win or loss against India should not decide the fate of our friendship with our neighbors. And if that ever or really happens, it will be both sad and silly. I think we should not give a cricket match so much importance.
A cricket match should not decide human relationships. As a Bangladeshi, I don’t want to act in any way that will damage my country’s image. If an Indian uses cricket to define Bangladesh and his/her relationship with the Bangladeshis, then I only have sympathy to offer him or her. But I myself cannot think of doing something similar. I have many Indian friends. And if on the 19th, Bangladesh win the match even then I cannot mock my Indian friends and tease them for their loss. It will not be the right thing to do. My education and religious teachings will not allow me to do something like that. WE SHOULD TRY TO RISE ABOVE SMALL THINGS.
I understand it was the Mauka Mauka video that enraged so many of us, the Bangladeshis. It was natural to be upset about it. I was upset too. But I personally think that replies to that video could and can always be given using firm but polite languages. Obscenities that we use on the social media only ruin our country’s image. Not only the Indians are reading your posts and comments but also people living in other parts of the world, especially if they are written in English. As a Bangladeshi I know I don't want to do anything that may harm the image of my country to the outside world.
Let's stay cool. Let's hope for the best. Let's pray that our cricket team gives their best on March 19. I am happy as long as my brothers play well and show good sportsmanship on the field. And what if they win? Well, I will be celebrating and cheering like a little girl, if they win on the 19th! Lots of love and best wishes for our TIGERS!
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