Cricket, a Reason for Communities to Connect
A Facebook invite got around 500 fans of the South Asian arch rivals together. Many were friends, colleagues. But on this day, they were divided by their country colours, and support for their cricket teams
The Crown Casino is the biggest gambling joint in Melbourne. But the South Asian community is rarely seen around there.(India Win by 76 Runs)
Though on Sunday, the scenes were different. One could see young Indian and Pakistani boys and girls, in team jerseys with painted faces and national flags go through the turnstiles of the Crown. They were headed not for the casino, but the sports bar right next to it. That clearly was the go-to place in town for the India and Pakistan fans.(Highlights)
A Facebook invite got around 500 fans of the South Asian arch rivals together. Many were friends, colleagues. But on this day, they were divided by their country colours, and support for their cricket teams
"We organised this event for our friends on Facebook. You can see that there is a lot of cheering going on for india. You can hear people say in the background-Jeetega Bhai Jeetega, India Jeetega," says Harish Chouhan, an electrical engineer who works in Melbourne.
United by similar cultures and a common language Punjabi, the communities engaged in banter.
"If you ask me, wherever India and Pakistan will play, the passion will be the same, the energy will be the same, the excitement will be the same and the war will be the same," says Harish.
Melbourne has the largest population of Indians and Pakistanis in Australia. Many are involved in the taxi cab business as well. And a match like this not just helped unite communities, but also for the people with blue collar and white collar jobs, who come together to celebrate the moment.
Adil Khan, a taxi cab driver says, "This is one of the best days of my life, watching an India-Pak match in Melbourne. I did not get a ticket to go to Adelaide, but this is the next best place to be. The atmosphere is electric. It is so much fun."
The techies to the taxi cab drivers, who were unable to get a ticket to Adelaide, converged at the Crown on Sunday. Cricket helped some renew bonds, and some forged new friendships. The game clearly was the winner!