Keeping their faith

You know there is a cricket match everytime you see a huge crowd assembled outside a television store.

It’s a well-known fact that cricket is a religion of sorts for millions across the
country.

But what happens when something like a match-fixing or a spot-fixing scandal surfaces?

The proud sport was recently shamed when few Pakistani players were caught for suspected spot-fixing during the Test against England at Lords.

Metrolife asked cricket buffs whether they have begun to lose faith in the game with such controversies coming into focus.

There were some youngsters who reacted strongly and said that they felt ‘violated’ and ‘betrayed’ by the reports but there were also others who explained that despite the controversy, cricket will always remain a popular sport and fans are bound to bounce back.

“Scandals like these bring a bad name to the sport. At times, people do tend to feel cheated. Then again, there is nothing new in what has happened. We have always read reports about match-fixing and many other scandals but they don’t last very long,” says Amogh, an engineering student.

That is not the case for many. Lavanya, a professional, says that when a news about match-fixing breaks out, people tend to generalise it.

 “To an extent, such scandals do affect the fans. Because for at least a while, I will wonder if the game I am watching has been fixed or not. It kind of takes away the fun from the game,” she adds.

Agrees Dhananjay, a student, “Cricket is a sensitive issue for many fans out here. And as much as it affects the cricket fraternity, it also affects the people who follow it. But it does not mean I will stop watching the game altogether.”

Many say that the bond with cricket is so strong in a country like India that no amount of controversy will affect the faith they have in the game.

David, a state-level cricketer who has played for KPL and been part of the Kolkata Knight Riders explains that being a player, reading such reports does affect him but he still strongly believes in the game.

 “There is a lot of pressure on a cricketer and the Pakistani cricketers are not as economically well off as compared to their Indian counterparts. I feel they have been trapped and circumstances have pushed them towards it,” says David.  

“Cricket is a brilliant game to play and to watch. There will always be negative forces trying to sabotage the game, fans may feel cheated for a while but it will not stop them from watching matches,” David adds.