Col (r) Ikram Ullah Khan
As it’s typical of Shandur final polo match between the traditional rival teams of Chitral and GB held every summer, it was incredibly exciting to witness the match from a far-off distance by taking advantage of the modern technology which makes you feel as if you are watching the match sitting right among the charged crowd surrounding the polo ground. Both the teams put up a professional fight and kept the cheering crowd on tenterhooks till the tail end of the match.
Huge congratulations to GB team for clinching the most coveted title. They have performed remarkably well despite the psychological disadvantage they carried due to the consecutive defeat for nearly one-a-half decade at the hands of Chitral’s team. But irrespective of victory or defeat, they have conducted themselves with dignity all along that rightly earns them huge appreciation.
At the same time, Chitrali players also deserve big applause for not only putting up a good fight but also for displaying true sportsmanship. Victory or defeat doesn’t matter. It’s part of the game. What matters most is how you conduct yourself while facing your opponent. As the famous English saying goes, “it doesn’t matter what happens to you, but it does matter how you behave while it’s happening to you”. It’s really great to see both the teams and their supporting crowd display maturity and composure.
After having suffered an unexpected defeat, Chitrali players need to put themselves in the shoes of the opponent team and see how hard it’s to endure the pangs of defeat which the GB team did gracefully for more than a decade in a row. Chitralis must learn a lesson from them. However, it’s quite heartening to see Chitrali players as well as the crowd keep their cool and accept the defeat with grace and dignity.