Is India-Pakistan 'cricket diplomacy' still a thing?

While India and Pakistan, two neighbouring nations in South Asia, may not currently be engaged in active warfare, their cricket matches often feel like intense battlegrounds. But at the same time, cricket has frequently served as a diplomatic and political instrument bridging relations between the two nations as well. 

Who can forget the advice of the late Prime Minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to captain Sourav Ganguly and the Indian cricket team when they paid a significant visit to Pakistan in 2004? 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was resolute in his pursuit of leaving a lasting legacy as Prime Minister that involved fostering peace between South Asia's hostile neighbours. He went to great lengths to achieve this goal, beginning with the Lahore bus diplomacy alongside Nawaz Sharif. Subsequently, he engaged with Pervez Musharraf in diplomatic efforts and even extended an olive branch by sending an Indian cricket team to Pakistan in an attempt to cultivate goodwill.

"Win not just the game but also hearts, best wishes," he had inscribed on a cricket bat he gifted to the Indian cricket team. But this move didn't come without controversy, as it faced opposition from within the ranks of BJP.

However, the diplomatic and political relations between India and Pakistan are anything but a recent phenomenon, as they trace back to as early as 1947 when Pakistan was created through the partition. This historical event brought about tragic incidents of mass violence, including killings, rapes and riots, leaving enduring scars on the collective memory of both nations. Consequently, cricket enthusiasts on both sides determined that losing to the other team, especially on home soil, was unacceptable. 

The inaugural India-Pakistan cricket series occurred in 1954, with Pakistan visiting India, and reciprocal fan exchanges took place as Indian supporters travelled to Lahore during Pakistan's first Test tour to India in 1961.

Nonetheless, the notion of "cricket diplomacy" had not yet taken root. During that era, hockey reigned supreme as the more beloved sport in both nations, owing to undivided India's status as the Olympic champions. 

Between 1947 and 1965, merely three-Test series were contested between India and Pakistan. The wars of 1965 and 1971 resulted in a complete cessation of cricket engagements between the two countries, leaving scant opportunity to employ cricket as a goodwill gesture.

After a 17-year hiatus, cricket resumed between India and Pakistan in 1978, driven by the efforts of governments led by Morarji Desai in India and Gen. Zia-ul-Haq in Pakistan, both of which weren't in power during the 1971 war. This cricket series acted as a bridge, with Desai even ordering the cessation of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) spying activities in Pakistan, earning him Pakistan's highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, in 1990.

However, beneath the surface of apparent peace, underlying tensions persisted, and cricket matches became a battleground for emotions. When Pakistan won the 1978 Test series, some attributed it to biassed umpiring against India, reflecting a strong desire among Pakistanis to defeat India by any means. 

These sentiments often followed religious lines, as evidenced by Pakistani cricket captain Mushtaq Mohammad's comment, calling the victory "the victory of Muslims all over the world over the Hindus".

Interestingly, while cricket diplomacy has sometimes acted as an icebreaker, at other times, it even signalled a deceptive calm before a storm. 

Former Pakistani President General Zia-ul-Haq initiated the "cricket for peace" concept. During a Test tour to India in 1987, he reportedly told Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in private that Pakistan possessed a nuclear bomb, adding an unexpected dimension to the diplomatic discourse.

However, these diplomatic exchanges lacked fanfare because of the prevailing distrust. Many in India felt that Pakistan harboured resentment over the 1971 Independence War of Bangladesh, and peace remained elusive. Subsequent discussions occurred between Indian Finance Minister VP Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, economist Mahbub-ul-Haq.

Cricket was played at neutral venues like Sharjah, with only one bilateral series between the two countries until nearly the end of the millennium. Tensions escalated following India's 1989 tour to Pakistan, largely due to the Kashmir issue.

In the turbulent 1990s, India-Pakistan cricket matches became a focal point, captivating both nations despite the underlying political conflict. Even those disinterested in cricket were drawn to their TV screens. The sport had a strong following among security forces, politicians, and diplomats.

Cricket diplomacy was unique as it united people involved in India-Pakistan foreign policy who shared a passion for the game. Fans from both sides filled stadiums, symbolising the potential for peace through cricket. However, in Kashmir, cricket took on a divisive role as anti-India sentiments led locals to support Pakistan, sparking tensions.

Cricket in India was typically overseen by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), but matches with Pakistan required government involvement, emphasising cricket's significance in bilateral relations.

Despite efforts at reconciliation, tensions remained. Controversies arose during World Cup encounters where India defeated Pakistan. In 1998, talks between Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Nawaz Sharif led to a proposed bus service between Lahore and Delhi and a historic Test series in 1999. The crowd's respect for the Pakistani team marked a rare moment of unity.

However, relations soured as radical Islamist groups gained strength in Pakistan, leading to the Kargil War and Gen. Pervez Musharraf's military coup. Both bus and cricket diplomacy ultimately failed, underscoring the complexity of India-Pakistan relations during this period.

Following the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight in December 1999, India cancelled its planned tour to Pakistan and withdrew from the Asian Test Championship. Just before the championship was to commence, the BCCI also pulled out under pressure from Prime Minister Vajpayee's government, which wanted to sever cricketing ties with Pakistan. But as mentioned before, it was the same Vajpayee who later played a crucial role in rekindling cricketing relations between the two nations.

In April 2005, President Musharraf visited India to witness an India-Pakistan cricket match in New Delhi, an attempt at peace-building. The period from 2004 to 2008 marked a golden era for India-Pakistan cricket and their broader political relationship. During this time, they played each other thrice in Pakistan (2004 and 2006) and twice in India (2005 and 2007).

The Indian team received a warm welcome in Pakistan, with enthusiastic crowd support wherever they played. Pakistani spectators were similarly greeted with warmth when they visited India to watch the matches.

However, everything ground to a halt after the 26/11 attacks. In the aftermath of the assault, India cancelled a planned series in Pakistan in February 2009, and since then, the Indian cricket team hasn't visited Pakistan. Additionally, Pakistani players were banned from participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

Nevertheless, cricket diplomacy was yet to give up. During the World Cup 2011 semi-final match between India and Pakistan, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Yousuf Raza Gilani, met and Gilani extended an invitation to Singh to visit Pakistan. Peace talks resumed, leading to Pakistan touring India in December 2012 for a T20 and three ODIs. Remarkably, this marked the last bilateral series between India and Pakistan to date.

The last time a serious attempt at breaking the ice was on Christmas Day 2015 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an impromptu visit to Lahore to meet his counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. Modi was on his way back from Kabul. But Sharif and the military leadership were not on the same page.

Currently, the prospect of a breakthrough in India-Pakistan relations through cricket diplomacy seems highly unlikely. In 2021, Pakistan was awarded the hosting rights for the Asia Cup 2023, marking a significant return to the multinational cricket tournament following the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team. However, a year later, the BCCI's Jay Shah, also ACC president, announced India's refusal to play in Pakistan due to political tensions. 

This led to negotiations, resulting in a hybrid tournament format with matches in Multan, Lahore, and Sri Lanka. Pakistan also contemplated boycotting the Cricket World Cup 2023 in India but ultimately decided to participate after government approval. This episode highlights the ongoing complexities in cricketing relations between India and Pakistan.

Does this imply that cricket diplomacy between India and Pakistan lost steam in recent years? It might be premature to draw such a conclusion at this point. India Prime Minister Modi, akin to Vajpayee, holds firm control over the BJP and could potentially steer peace talks if the political climate allows. However, now is not the right time, as it hinges on Islamabad's political stability.

More importantly, resuming cricket ties is desirable for the sport and fans of both nations, fostering a renewed rivalry and showcasing talent. Playing against fierce rivals can elevate the game's standard and create new heroes. It's also time for India to permit Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since the ban, stemming from the 26/11 attacks, no longer holds water.

Potential hurdles over broadcasting rights could arise, of course, but this would place India-Pakistan rivalry in the realm of normalcy, where commercial factors outweigh political or diplomatic considerations.