Despite India’s decision not to send their cricket team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, several senior Indian sports journalists brought back numerous memories upon their return from Lahore.
The cricket journalists Nikhil Naz and Vikrant Gupta chose to pursue a Pakistan visa despite the ICC’s announcement that Dubai would serve as the venue for India’s matches.
Gupta understands cricket travel to Pakistan because he joined the Indian team during their 2004 and 2006 Pakistan tours.
Gupta has become a household name in northern India through his cricket broadcasts on Aaj Tak while also gaining a substantial fan base in Pakistan.
Naz’s visit to Pakistan went beyond his interest in cricket because he aimed to explore his ancestral heritage.
Author of the cricket book, Miracle Men: Naz, who wrote Miracle Men: The Greatest Underdog Story in Cricket, wanted to learn about a small Punjab town in Pakistan where his grandparents walked for 13 days through extreme conditions during the 1947 partition before they established a new life in India.
After their passports received visa stamps in New Delhi they traveled to Dubai to watch India play its first two matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The seven-day interval between India’s match with Pakistan on February 23 and their game against New Zealand on March 2 enabled them to travel to Lahore.
Gupta and Naz travelled to Lahore unsure of what awaited them after India’s refusal to play in Pakistan led to mutual hostility but were overwhelmed by the warm reception from Pakistani fans.
Sana Ullah knew Pakistanis would warmly receive Indian journalists Gupta and Naz because he met them at ICC events abroad multiple times.
Meeting them in my homeland seemed impossible to me. Ullah knew about their popularity in Pakistan so he advised them that their visit would receive an unexpected positive reaction from people here.
“They didn’t believe me. A crowd of about 1500 people gathered to meet them when I brought them to a historical site in Lahore.
Gupta recalled that his third trip to Pakistan provided him with the most unforgettable experience compared to his two earlier visits.
There exists mutual admiration between India and Pakistan. I witnessed this mutual admiration for India first during my trips to Pakistan in 2004 and again in 2006 when I accompanied the Indian team there.
The spectacle I witnessed this time was extraordinary because India and Pakistan had not contested matches in Pakistan for many years.
The level of excitement people showed for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma along with their Indian team reached unprecedented heights during that time.
Because Indian cricket players were absent due to their system they directed their affection towards Indian journalists instead.
The event served as a recognition for Indian cricket. Their interest in Indian cricket stems from their fascination with India as a whole.
Gupta and Naz received invitations to television shows during their three-day stay in Lahore. One of the television show themes proved to be quite fascinating.
During the television programme with Pakistan cricket veterans Inzamam ul Haq and Saqlain Mushtaq Naz listened to their captivating accounts of their ancestral origins from India.
The show gained interest because I came from India with Pakistani roots while Pakistani guests Saqlain and Inzamam also had Indian ancestry.
Another show provided the setting for a truly remarkable event.
During a different program I sat alongside Pakistan cricket legends Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi when the host inquired about my grandparents’ Pakistani hometown. After stating that my grandparents hailed from Bhera in Punjab province on Instagram, I received requests from Bhera locals who wanted to assist me in locating the exact area.
I provided them with my grandparents and great grandparents’ information including their names and the places they lived in together with their son’s name. One person responded by sending images of the area to me. A local informed me that if I decide to visit with my mother the entire town will extend their hospitality to us.
Naz continues to feel overwhelmed because of the warm affection shown to him in Pakistan.
As a native Punjabi who understands the essence of Punjabi hospitality from my own experiences in India I must state that the hospitality I encountered in Pakistan was absolutely remarkable.
“They’re just very hospitable people. Although I’m not skilled in geopolitics my experience shows how individuals connect and I will always remember their warmth. The intensity of my emotions forms a whirlpool within me now.
The birth of Naz’s parents occurred soon after all his grandparents had settled in India.
My paternal grandmother shared with me all the stories she used to tell repeatedly. For 13 days they walked to reach the border which took them the same amount of time to walk through. He remembered arriving at their destination without knowing who to meet because they were living in refugee camps.
Naz plans to return to Pakistan where hundreds of people will welcome him and his mother with open doors and hearts.
During my next visit to India I might apply for a Pakistan visa so my mother can finally see the hometown of her parents
My mother shares a strong religious connection and she wants to visit several Gurudwaras in Pakistan. It would be wonderful if I could accompany her to visit both those important Gurudwaras and her hometown.