Have no control over cartoons that taunt India, says Mashrafe Mortaza
Are Bangladesh really India’s arch-rivals? Given their close matches in recent times, is an India vs Bangladesh match bigger than an India vs Pakistan clash?
Bangladesh fans have given Indo-Bangladesh matches a new dimension in terms of rivalry.
A series of cartoons and memes in recent times, showing India’s star cricketers in poor light, have not escaped the attention of Bangladesh cricketers, whose on-field celebrations can be quite provocative.
Ahead of their ICC Champions Trophy semifinal at Edgbaston on Thursday, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza chose to play down the derogatory cartoons, one of which shows the tricolour wrapped over a canine.
“These things are not expected and not in the control of players. A match against India is just another game for us and if these cartoons are meant to lift our convictions levels, they just don’t work,” said Mortaza.
Bangladesh’s on-field celebrations have often been spicy. Mortaza is himself quite expressive and like most fast bowlers, love to celebrate. His young teammates like Taskin Ahmed loves it too.
Bangladesh have been conspicuous by their chest bumps and aerial hip bumps celebrating wickets. It’s been the Bangladesh version of the Caribbean highfives.
“Look there is pressure in big games but India have more at stake than us,” said Mortaza, who added that Bangladesh have light-years to go to reach India’s cricket levels. The annual migration of Indians to England during summer was aptly described by an observer: It’s bizarre that you fly out of Palam, arrive at Heathrow and feel like having landed back in Delhi!
This summer, all Indians, whether from London or Delhi, are cheering for the Indian team and if Virat was a candidate in last week’s election in England, he would have won hands down .He is the new star and after years of Sachiiiin, Sachiiin, the loud chant across cricket grounds is Kohliii, Kohliii. The buzz, the aura, the power and energy around Virat is unmistakable.
That he is special, supremely confident and has a decisive front-foot trigger movement is well documented .That Virat can hold his own and take on both friend and foe is also no state secret. That he is not one to be awed by any person or occasion was evident at the reception hosted by the Indian High Commissioner at Lord’s Long Room.
As the MC for the evening went around asking Mike Brearley, Andrew Strauss and others about India-England cricket, the guests present were busy chatting. Irked by this rather rude disturbance, Kohli quickly stepped in to request everyone, politely but firmly, to listen to the interesting
cricket conversation and keep the socialising bit for later. Result of this gentle rebuke on the invited audience: hushed silence!
In England, Kohli mania is part of the enormous support for the Indian team. For them, every match, in Birmingham or Oval, is a ‘home’ game.
Indian fans fill the stadiums and add colour, flavour and lots of noise to cricket in England.
Traditionally, matches here are played in front of an appreciative crowd in dignified, respectful silence. For India games, however, the norm has changed: cricket is now high octane, high decibel, dholak and dhamaal entertainment. Not just ordinary stands, even top end corporate boxes/executive suites are run over by Indian fans. Cricket attracts everyone, the elite and the ordinary, and such is the cultural fusion, it is not unusual for the entitled to drink champagne, eat chaat papri and animatedly discuss the subtleties of cricket.
A match against India is just another game for us and if these cartoons are meant to lift our convictions levels, they just don’t work MORTAZA, Bangladesh skipper
THE POWER AND ENERGY AROUND VIRAT IS UNMISTAKABLE. IN ENGLAND, KOHLI MANIA IS PART OF THE ENORMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE INDIAN TEAM. FOR THEM, EVERY MATCH, IN BIRMINGHAM OR OVAL, IS A ‘HOME’ GAME
Views expressed are personal