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Nowadays, whenever an India versus Pakistan match is played, the result is a foregone conclusion. Sunday’s game confirmed the fact that India and its one-time arch-rival are no longer at the same level. Despite a substandard performance, India won comfortably.

India’s display was surprisingly lackluster. Bumrah had a bad day, Suryakumar Yadav was out for a duck, and several fielders dropped catches. But in the end, none of this mattered because Pakistan did not have the bowling strength to control the fireworks of the Indian batters. Had India been facing a stronger team, the result could have been different.

The Pakistan players may be facing a mental hurdle whenever they play against India. Perhaps that is why they resort to tasteless gestures such as firing a gun. That was a highly insensitive act by Shahibzada Farhan, which should have been avoided. Such gimmickry is a far cry from the days of Imran Khan. The legendary ex-captain of Pakistan used to conduct himself like a King of sport.

Imran Khan was like royalty

Imran never indulged in empty drama. A commentator had once remarked that when Imran Khan emerged victorious from any battle, he would look like he was used to always winning matches. His walk and his demeanour showed everyone that he was unbeatable. That was the hallmark of royalty on the cricket field. The present lot should keep Imran as their role model.

In retaliation, Indian players must not fall into the trap of gestures and verbal abuse. They should conduct themselves like sportsmen. They must keep in mind that the best answer to such unseemly pantomime can be given with the bat and ball.

In the present Pakistan team, both players and management seem to be at sixes and sevens. Nobody is sure of what they need to do.

Why did the PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, come to the Pakistan training area on the eve of the game? It served no purpose. The moment he entered, everyone stopped their work to attend to him.

Bad omen for the future

Where the India-Pakistan rivalry is concerned, what we are seeing now is the quiet erosion of a great legacy. Future cricket lovers may never witness the nail-biting finishes that we used to see when Kapil, Gavaskar, Srikkanth, and Azhar used to cross swords with Imran, Miandad, Wasim and Waqar.

This developing trend could have an adverse effect on the way the matches are viewed by the public. When India versus Pakistan cricket matches become one sided, it significantly affects the narrative. It is a loss for cricket in both countries and also the world.

Likely future scenario

The fall in competitiveness may also affect the outlook of the media and sponsors. Sponsors and media rely on high stakes plus balanced competition to generate maximum viewership and emotional engagement. Brands pay a premium for advertising slots, endorsements, and event tie-ups, expecting massive viewership and brand recall.

But one-sided matches lead to reduced viewer interest over a period of time. There is considerably less social media buzz, which is critical for modern brand campaigns. Sponsors will start to question the value of spending so heavily on these India-Pak fixtures if they are predictable and do not excite the viewers’ emotions.

Moreover, the media’s narrative strategy will become unsustainable. The media likes to build the Indo-Pak clash as the “biggest rivalry in world cricket.” This often happens irrespective of rankings or recent form. If the on-field product, that is, the game itself, doesn’t match the hype, audiences will begin to tune out or treat the contests as just hype with no substance.

Ticket sales, digital subscriptions, and merchandise revenues may also decline. The scenario we are currently examining may mark the beginning of a paradigm shift in how cricket fans perceive future matches between India and Pakistan. The contests may cease to be of much significance in the world or Asian level in the years to come.