Being Pakistani: Cricket is NOT a sport!

Marketers working fierce like hungry spiders constructing webs around the dazzled butterflies. The CEOs bath in the gold coins that shower upon them. Every promotional method from the most reputed businesses to the “Chai ka Dhaba” wears the same BOOM BOOM brand ambassadors. People post status and tweets twice in every 30 seconds. Random photos of baffled 5year olds in green uniform on facebook timeline. Now the streaming noisy tournament on T.V controls your family’s highly volatile mood swings. In short Happy Cricket season!

In our part of the world Cricket is identity. You have to be crazy about cricket to be one of us. That comes from profound study and experience i.e. a tested theory. The day I confirmed IT’s JUST A GAME in the middle of a bubbly communication with my family. Suddenly there fell a long extremely uncomfortable silence. Everyone stopped and stared at me as if I’m that unwanted mushroom accidentally found in your pizza topping.

However there is always one annoying person who pretends to like football more. Yet this person would know every single detail of the match last night. Another green guy who always cheers for the opponent team but secretly wishes Pakistan’s victory. It’s obvious cause this guy sits next to you in every celebration. Then there is that one obnoxious girl who is crazy about the players not the sport. Throughout the year she posts pictures with corny captions expressing her love shamelessly. Everyone ‘Likes’ for disclosing a crush on green players is one of the crazy norms accepted and appreciated in Pakistan. Now you see how desperately we need a button on facebook that says HARAM!

These are the green shades we all cherish but there is more to it. This fondness converts into an obsession, uncontrollable influence and then depression. The impact is so grave that it literally messes with everyday life. When we win the match every stranger from the bus to the street is cheerful. The day we are defeated the whole nation is soaked in anger, rage and depression.  Sadly this wrath penetrates through homes, social media and beyond. Don’t you agree this youth is already facing enough negativity on every sunrise? It used to be a sport meant to distract worries and entertain you. Not an excuse to be mean to your family and friends.

This year try not to break that T.V remote. It’s not their fault so treat your family in the best manner. Pay attention to that youngest kid in the family, they have truck loads  of funny stories to share.  It is a game and the whole idea is to keep you away from negative effects or activities.  

Now let’s teach that fan girl who posts inappropriate stuff about Ajmal and Afridi to show respect.  Or do it the fun way, just write ‘It’s haraM’ on her wall and disappear. Tell me if you have better ideas in the comments below. Stay Pakistani and stay positive!