India-Pak match hit by low attendance, overshadowed by handshake snub

JOVITO LOPES

PANJIM: Several fans, especially from India, stayed away from watching the volatile India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 clash at Dubai International Stadium which saw unusually empty stands on Sunday amid boycott calls following the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year. Undoubtedly, political tensions affected the attendance for this high-voltage clash.

From the past records it is seen that any India-Pakistan cricket match is always a full-house event, but the usual big hype in the Asia Cup 2025 clash between the two teams this time was missing. The unusual sight of empty seats at the stadium which has a capacity for 25,000 seats, provided evidence of lingering hostility between the two countries after the Pahalgam terror attack in April.

Despite calls for a boycott and heightened tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor against cross-border terror bases in May, the match went ahead as scheduled, much thanks to the government and BCCI. A fan from India who attended the match said, “Let me assure you: never in my life have I seen a stadium so empty… that too for an Indo-Pak match.”

In India itself, many preferred not to even watch the match on the big screen. Some staged protests and urged people to boycott the contest with a nation that sponsors terror. There were protests, demonstrations in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi, according to PTI reports.

Some even slammed the government for going ahead with the match alleging that it showed betrayal of national sentiment and grave insult to the memory of Pahalgam terror attack victims and choosing profit over compassion.

In the past, it has been seen that people in India are crazy over such a rivalry on the field, eagerly watching any India-Pakistan match in numbers that dwarf any other sport. This time the debate wasn't about whether India would win. It' was about whether people would watch in the same dizzying numbers – because, for the first time in years, the off-field context could tip the scales.

An Indian victory was largely anticipated. What was not anticipated - off-field happenings which tipped the scales for the first time in years. One recalls that in the past people would abstain from work, call off meetings and put off even other important chores just to be glued to the TV. But this time it was not so, by and large.

The number of empty seats was obvious as tickets which normally get sold out in minutes for the India-Pakistan match remained unsold in large numbers. Obviously, with political tensions between the two nations on the high and growing calls to boycott the match, several Indian fans preferred to stay away. Some areas of the stadium were filled, but many upper tiers and other stands remained vacant, a stark contrast to the usual sell-out crowd for this rivalry.

Many opined that they had never seen a stadium for India-Pakistan match so empty and that seats were empty for the first time in an India-Pakistan match. Possibly, high ticket prices as well as a lack of pre-match hype compared to past matches also could have contributed to poor attendance.

It may be recalled that India had blamed Pakistan for sponsoring the attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead. Subsequently, Indian strikes followed under Operation Sindoor, bringing the nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of all-out war.

The match was played but it ended on a sour note. India decimated Pakistan by seven wickets, but the players refused the customary handshakes with the Pakistan team. Pakistan accused India of lacking sportsmanship after Indian cricketers refused to shake hands either before or after the match.

At the end of the match, the Indian batsmen vacated the wicket and the whole team walked off instead of waiting to shake hands with Pakistan fielders. In cricket, it is customary for on-field players from the batting side to shake hands with the fielding side and umpires after the end of the innings. It is also a standard practice for the entire batting team to shake hands with their opponents after the match.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav called the victory a “perfect return gift”, dedicating it to the victims of the Kashmir terror attack and to the armed forces.

“Our government and the BCCI were aligned on the decision to play the match. We came here just to play the match and gave them a perfect reply. A few things in life are above sportsman's spirit. We stand with all the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and with their families and dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor,” added the India captain.

The refusal to shake hands by India led to criticism that they had allowed politics to overshadow a sporting event. Pakistan lamented the missed gesture of sportsmanship highlighting that dragging politics into the game went against the very spirit of sports. It was a disappointing way for the match to finish.

As is customary in cricket, the two on-field players of the team batting second shake hands with the fielding team and the umpires before walking off. And further, the batting team then enters the ground to shake hands with their opponents. Similarly, the team captains shake hands before the toss which takes place 30 minute before the start of play.

Many opined that dragging politics into the game had gone against the very spirit of sports.

Sportsmanship is viewed as the right attitude towards others. Life has a bigger purpose than just winning or losing. The lessons of sports are truly the lessons of life, if we only listen. These are hard lessons to be learnt but the ones with the greatest impact. Sportsmanship demonstrates love for others, respect and honesty.

It may be recalled that the match had been marred by controversy from the start due to calls from some Indian fans to boycott the fixture. Now, the pressure got to the players as well.