With sporting relations between India and Pakistan not at their very best, it was a pleasant surprise to see two boys from across the border participating in the 20th Asian Junior Table Tennis Championships at the NSCI, Worli, here.
Salman Virk and Abdul Haseeb, both 18, consider themselves fortunate to make the trip to Mumbai. “The Indian Table Tennis Federation and Mumbai City District Table Tennis Association took strong steps to make sure we got here. Like you guys, cricket and hockey are popular back home, so it’s a big thing for us to get a chance to play, especially in India,” said Haseeb, who practices five days a week in Islamabad. “It feels so nice to see not only us but also teenagers from countries with worse problems to forget all their worries and come together to do what they love doing most, play table tennis,” he added.
For Haseeb, it is his first visit to India, but Virk has made countless trips across the border to visit his relatives in Amritsar and participate in tournaments. He set the record straight when asked about the strained relationships between the two countries. “How can anyone pass judgement if you don’t get to see us. Having played against India, I am friends with players in your side and when we talk to each other, we realise that the person on the other side is nothing like what we usually think about him/her,” says Virk, who is studying medicine in Lahore.
Haseeb and Virk share the same interests as normal teenagers. The first thing they want to do after getting done with their final set of matches on Tuesday is to visit the homes of their favourite Bollywood stars.
“I love Salman Khan's movies and personality. We do call him 'bhai' even in Pakistan. I have heard about this area called Bandra, where most of the stars stay. I want to meet Alia Bhatt more than anything. I have seen each of her movies at least five times,” Virk said. Haseeb, on the other hand, wanted to know where Sunny Leone resided.
Participating in the team event and singles category of the junior event, the pair love playing cricket and snooker. They never miss a single episode of ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’. They feel difference between the two countries was the stark difference in upbringing which showed in the way they spoke and behaved. “We can’t roam around after a certain point at night despite being old enough. There's always a sense of respect when we speak. There will never be a 'tu/tum', there will always be an 'aap'. The parents never say no to girls playing but ensure she wore a Hijaab (veil) when she did so,” said Haseeb.
For Haseeb and Virk, it’s been a chance that not many would have expected. They hope their country play hosts to Indians and other countries in the future. “We don’t have that many matches back home. Funding and sponsorship are huge issues. Thankfully, there have been no complaints about the facilities, but they don’t match up to Indian standards, forget international ones. But like you guys, even we have a big heart and want to host the world in tournaments,” said Haseeb.
Completing the Pakistan squad is 18-year-old Mohammad Rameez from the Swat district. Rameez took a day's break going into Tuesday's matches.
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