When Sportsmanship Stands Taller Than Manufactured Controversy
When Sportsmanship Stands Taller Than
Manufactured Controversy
Not every controversy is organic.
Some are carefully inflated, repeated, and amplified until they distract from
what actually matters. In recent years, even basic gestures in sport have been
dragged into political theater.
So when Rohit Sharma shook hands
with Wasim Akram during his visit to Sri Lanka as an ICC brand ambassador, it
should have been a non-story. Two cricketing greats greeting each other with
respect. That is normal. That is expected. That is sport.
Yet in the current climate, even
a handshake becomes a statement.
Wasim Akram is not just a former
Pakistani cricketer. He is one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of
the game, a Hall of Famer, and a respected commentator during global
tournaments. He is admired not only in Pakistan, but in India and across the
cricketing world. Rohit Sharma, one of India’s most accomplished captains and
batters, represents modern Indian cricket with confidence and composure.
When Rohit greeted Akram warmly,
he did what sportsmen are supposed to do. He showed respect.
Contrast that with the growing
pattern of players avoiding handshakes before or after high-voltage
India–Pakistan matches. We are told it is about national pride. We are told it
reflects political reality. But refusing to shake hands does not make a nation
stronger. It makes sport smaller.
Sportsmanship is not weakness. It
is dignity.
The troubling part is how easily
sporting behavior has become subject to political signaling. The lines between
the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), government influence, and
media narratives are increasingly blurred. When gestures of basic courtesy are
scrutinized through a political lens, it suggests that sport is being used as
an extension of ideological messaging.
It is hard to ignore the optics.
Administrators with political proximity dominate cricket governance. Media
outlets that align closely with the ruling establishment amplify selective
outrage. Yet when an Indian captain simply behaves like a gentleman, the
silence is just as telling.
Rohit Sharma’s handshake with
Wasim Akram should not be framed as rebellion. It should be framed as normalcy.
But in an atmosphere where even civility feels controversial, normalcy itself
becomes powerful.
Sport is meant to unite. It
allows fans from rival nations to argue fiercely for four hours and then
appreciate excellence together. It creates heroes across borders. It reminds us
that competition does not require dehumanization.
When players refuse to shake
hands, it sends a message that hostility must extend beyond the boundary rope.
That politics must override professionalism. That symbolism matters more than
spirit.
Rohit chose differently. He did
not grandstand. He did not perform nationalism. He simply acknowledged another
legend of the game with respect.
In doing so, he protected
something bigger than optics. He protected the spirit of cricket.
And that is what true strength
looks like.
I always enjoy reading your articles. I just wish I had your courage to speak so openly. I agree with you on shaking hands with the Pakistan team. If a player personally chooses not to, that’s their call. But no one should act under political pressure, especially at the international level. That makes the nation look insecure and misunderstands the spirit of sport. If you decide to play, then play with dignity and sportsmanship.
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