KARACHI: In cricket-crazed Pakistan’s biggest city, cafe owner Moiz Umer said customers asked him on Sunday to change the TV channel to “avoid the humiliation” of witnessing their Champions Trophy defeat to arch-rivals India.
“For large parts of the Indian innings, a good number of people turned their backs to the match – facing their friends instead of the screen, such was the disappointment,” said the 45-year-old in the city of Karachi.
Fans that didn’t look away watched India outclass Pakistan with a convincing six-wicket victory, chasing down 242 with 45 balls to spare and pushing the hosts to the verge of elimination after just two matches.
Pakistan is staging a major international tournament for the first time in nearly three decades but India refused to visit – citing security concerns and political tensions – meaning the teams faced each other in Dubai.
The return of international play has been a huge source of national pride but Pakistan fans at home suffered the double heartbreak on Sunday of watching their team falter from a distance.
“It was such a big match and we went down with a whimper,” said 42-year-old Zain Mursaleen, among around a hundred spectators with a deflated mood who had gathered to watch the match in Karachi.
“We love to see good cricket and Pakistan failed to produce that – again.”
The eight-team tournament only began on Wednesday. But Pakistan also lost their opening game, meaning their fate hangs on the outcome of a match between New Zealand and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday.
In the garrison city adjacent to the capital Islamabad, the atmosphere was sombre from the outset before India’s star batsman Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 100.
“They came to the game with a loser’s mindset and never attempted to attack,” said 53-year-old chef Rasheed Saleem.
“I doubt they even realise how disheartening it is for fans to see them go down like this,” he added.
Saad Murtaza, a 29-year-old software engineer, said he began watching with “low expectations” but was still left disappointed.
“I thought they might surprise us, as it was more than just a game. Unfortunately, they failed to do so,” he said.
“They lack both the intent and the skills. I wasted my entire day watching this pathetic display of a game.”
‘Not a rivalry anymore’
The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947, fomenting a feud that often plays out on the field.
Cricket is by far the most popular sport in both countries, which have a combined population of more than 1.6 billion – making matches some of the most-viewed sporting events in the world.
Deteriorating ties have meant Pakistan and India have not played a bilateral cricket series for over a decade – facing each other only in tournament matches staged in third countries.
Despite the bitter diplomatic rhetoric, numerous Pakistan fans have told AFP they would have relished the chance to host India’s team and their spectators.
But some commentators on Sunday were declaring the rivalry now over after a dire run of Pakistani performances.
“One is forced to conclude that this is not a rivalry anymore as India has dominated Pakistan, especially in the one day internationals,” cricket journalist and former Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi told AFP.
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