Tunku Varadarajan writes on Forbes.com that Pakistan’s emergence as champions of the Twenty20 World Cup, with three Pushtun players—-Younis Khan, Umer Gul and Shahid Afridi—at the wheel, have shown the Taliban that you don’t have to flog teenage girls to be a man; all you need to do is flog the ball to all parts of the ground.
“Cricket is a potent secular force in Pakistan, a secular lesson. It teaches people that man-made rules can be just, and give satisfaction. It teaches an honor unconnected to religiosity and modesty, tribal slights and vengeance. It teaches that exuberance can be constructive, and that individualism and innovation can be blessings (and, equally, that conservatism can often be dangerous). Cricket allows Pakistanis to play against men from other faiths and lands, and to belong with pride to a sporting commonwealth of cricket-playing nations that is a world away from the aridity of the ummah.”
Read the full article: Cricket vs the taliban
Tags: Churumuri, Forbes, Forbes.com, Pakistan, Sans Serif, Shahid Afridi, Tunku Varadarajan, Umer Gul, Younis Khan
23 June 2009 at 7:40 pm
Dont think the taliban cares. They will keep flogging women immaterial of what Afridi does. And madrasa trained nuts will keep supporting both – the taliban and their cricket stars.
23 June 2009 at 7:42 pm
What a silly article! You know there are wiskey drinking, polo playing (taliban in thought) type of people too! This is something a child would write.
24 June 2009 at 9:58 am
Wow. This is so awesome. Now, if somebody can get Islamic fundamentalists not kill nonbelievers, it will be even more great.
24 June 2009 at 5:23 pm
To Abhi…you are asking for the moon..It’s as impossible as our own Togadias, Mutaliks, Singhals piping down and actually doing something constructive.
5 April 2011 at 2:37 pm
@ Anshuman Patel…Togadia is doing constructive business…where and when …by holding the sword and giving statements “I WILL ELIMINATE THE COMPLETE ISLAM FROM INDIA”. Nice constructive work. You r great people. People like u can only follow their paths…not the right path…