India v Pakistan: arrest of Muslim fans show how cricket is more than just a sport in these two nation

Misra, Amalendu (2021) India v Pakistan: arrest of Muslim fans show how cricket is more than just a sport in these two nation. The Conversation, London, UK.

Abstract

With the exception of cricket, India – a country of nearly 1.5 billion people – is spectacularly below average when it comes to international competitive sports. The world’s second most populous nation has the worst Olympic record in terms of medals per head of population. So its saving grace – so far as proving its sporting prowess is concerned – has been cricket, in which it is a dominant force.