Beyond Boundaries: How Cricket Unites Us in Love, Loss, and Hope

Sports might seem trivial to some, but for many, it is an anchor through life’s ups and downs. Cricket, in particular, isn’t just a sport; it’s an emotion that binds people together, turning moments into memories and strangers into family.

That is the thing about love—whether for a sport, an artist, or a book—it binds people together in communities built on shared enthusiasm. In a world increasingly fragmented, these communities create a sense of connection. Cricket provides a collective history, a shared language of joy and heartbreak, whether watched from Lahore, London, or Stockholm.

Cricket fans come from different backgrounds, faiths, and walks of life. Yet, when they gather, whether at a stadium, in front of television screens, or even reminiscing about past victories, they are deeply and profoundly together. Everyone remembers where they were when Pakistan defeated India in the Champions Trophy 2017 final. Conversations often return to the heart-stopping matches that left fans holding their breath. Cricket has created a vast and inclusive sense of belonging.

Of course, with every sense of "us," there is the risk of a "them." As Melinda Gates puts it, “The problem isn’t the outsiders; the problem is the urge to create outsiders.” This is seen everywhere, whether in sports rivalries, YouTube fandoms, or political ideologies. The key is not just in what people love, but how they love it. Can Liverpool fans support their team without hating Manchester United? Can Indian and Pakistani cricket fans celebrate their teams without reducing the rivalry to animosity? Can the idea of "us" be cherished without needing a "them"?

For many years, Pakistani fans watched their team from afar, yearning for a cricket tournament to return home. The heartbreak was not only on the pitch but in the exile of the team from its own stadiums. Now, in 2025, Pakistan will finally host the ICC Champions Trophy. This is more than just a tournament; it is a homecoming.

There is a stark difference between how sports are treated globally. Teams and leagues are investment vehicles, owned by the elite. In Pakistan, however, cricket belongs to the people. It is messy, chaotic, and unpredictable, much like the team itself. Yet, that is what makes it theirs. Every fan, every child dreaming of donning the green jersey, every household glued to the screen during a high-stakes match—they all own this team.

Generations grew up watching the legends—Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Inzamam-ul-Haq. Many remember exactly where they weresitting cross-legged in front of the television when Shahid Afridi smashed his 37-ball century. Cricket was not just a game; it was everything. The 1992 World Cup, the heartbreak of 2007, the nail-biting T20 matches—it was a rollercoastr ride no one wanted to get off.

There has been agony too. The gut-wrenching losses in World Cups, the heartache of missed opportunities. The 2022 T20 World Cup final against England was yet another chapter of hope and heartbreak. Yet, through it all, the love for cricket endured.

Then there was that moment—the Champions Trophy final in 2017. Pakistan versus India. The stadium roared, hearts pounded, and when victory was sealed, an uncontainable joy swept through the nation. In that moment, cricket was the most important unimportant thing—it was everything. Some may have wondered what the point of it all was, but in that moment, everyone knew. The point is to ‘gather’, the very verb that gave birth to the word ‘together’.

But here is the truth: no one needs to love cricket. What matters is loving something that binds people with others. It could be dancing, poetry, or even crochet. As poet Donald Hall once wrote, the strongest relationships are not built on gazing into each other’s eyes, but on sharing a “third thing” that brings joy, meaning, and togetherness.

For Pakistanis, that third thing is cricket. And in every triumph, in every defeat, in every heart-stopping, last-over thriller, they find themselves falling in love all over again. For those who don’t want to miss a single moment, enjoy free live HD streaming on MyCo through My Zong App—because uninterrupted cricket is the best kind of cricket.