Today I dream that Bangladesh beats Pakistan

In the seventies and eighties, I visited Bangladesh often, as my sister and brother-in-law were working there – since my sister’s work revolved around the rural areas, I made several trips – by car, boat and motorcycle, through the fields and up and down the waterways of that beautiful country. And now, as the Bangladesh team prepares to meet Pakistan in the most important match of their fifteen-year international career, I can only wish the team and the country all the very, very best. They are there in the final, and we are not, it is as simple as that, when the matches had to be won, Bangladesh won… and we did not. Many people, including myself, criticised the decision to make Bangladesh a Test-playing nation so soon, and I still believe the criticism was justified, but today, as the final looms ahead, I truly wish Bangladesh victory in the final. I am a dreamer – and today I dream that Bangladesh beats Pakistan, and Sachin refuses to play in the IPL, and Kohli decides not to do any more ad films. [caption id=“attachment_252396” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal celebrate after they won their Asia Cup one-day international (ODI) cricket match against Sri Lanka in Dhaka. Reuters”] [/caption] Of the three dreams, the first just might come true. Bangladesh and Pakistan are the two teams that are fired up and have been, for the past several months and it is not just by chance that they are the teams with the least participation in IPL. Yes, I can hear the groans, but it is true. Not being in the IPL has kept the players, especially the Pakistanis, on edge and full of energy. And that is why these two teams are in the final… Sachin not playing in the IPL? It would be good for him, physically and emotionally and technically. It would rest his body and his mind and his heart and soul – and it would give a signal, an ishaara, to other players – that you can sacrifice something to gain something; that enough is enough – whether in terms of money, or in terms of unneeded cricket. Will he refuse the IPL? Impossible. He is professionally committed, and he just loves the latest game, whatever it is – but if he did, or if he could, I feel it would be a very strong statement of intent and passion. And then he should be available for all forms of Indian cricket – domestic and international – for the next year. Kohli refusing ads? Equally impossible but just consider – if he did, what an ishaara he would be sending forth to crores and crores of young people. That what you earn from what you really do with a passion is enough, especially when what you earn from that passion is enough to keep you fit and healthy for a lifetime, but more than that, it would send out that message that to sell compromised products – especially ‘fair and lovely creams’ – is a racial and ethical obscenity – to sell any product, unless that is vital for your wellbeing, is an obscenity. And Kohli must know this – what he does is play cricket with a passion and a skill we have not seen since a young Sehwag. Is not that enough? For him, and for us to judge him by. Why must he judge himself, and us, him, by how many products he sells, or how much his market-value is? But enough dreaming – the night beckons, and other dreams do, too. May the Bangladeshi players be fast asleep and happy right now, and may their dreams of victory all come true… Ameen.