Pakistan must reign in lumpen behaviour at the Attari-Wagah border
Tuesday, April 24, 2018 IST
The lumpen behaviour by Pakistan cricketer Hasan Ali at the Attari-Wagah border is unacceptable. Hasan’s monkeying was captured on video and has gone viral on social media. His show of disrespect is not just insulting to Indian soldiers but does not behoove an international sportsman. As ambassadors of the game, international cricketers are held to a higher standard than other private citizens. Pakistan must discipline Hasan Ali and ensure there is no repeat of such antics.
Hasan should have been stopped by the Rangers as soon as he began his heckling act and the provocative gestures towards the Indian side. Hasan is just 24 and his international cricketing career is not yet two years old. He must mend his ways and understand that
the essence of sporting conduct is to respect the opposition and give one’s best on the field. If the 30-second-video from Wagah is the best that Hasan can muster, he is a poor advertisement for cricket and Pakistan.
Also, while the competitive showmanship between the BSF soldiers and Pakistan Rangers during the ceremony draws fawning crowds on both sides, it needs to be asked whether such aggressive displays serve a useful purpose or if a more subtle form of the beating retreat can be mutually devised. The BSF and Pakistan Rangers have even evolved shared rules of engagement but if these cannot be adhered to India must read the riot act to Pakistan authorities.
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