Cape Town - The South Asian blockbuster between India and Pakistan at ICC tournaments – particularly when the Men’s teams are playing – has customarily raised the tension between the respective nations.
Fans from both teams troll each other for days on social media, before and after the match, with historic religious differences being the basis of the interaction.
However, Sunday’s much-anticipated clash at the Women’s World Cup between these two great rivals had an entirely different feel to it. This was all due to seven-month-old baby Fatima – daughter of Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof – stealing the show.
Social media went into an emotional overload when Maroof, who was set to play her first match since returning from maternity leave, was first spotted with Fatima in her arms getting off the team bus while a teammate was pushing the pram.
Match day! Our women are at Bay Oval for #PAKvIND #TeamPakistan #CWC22 #BackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/eiWbsOQuac
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 5, 2022
The Indian team, who beat their Pakistan counterparts by 107 runs, also embraced Fatima after the match, trying to take selfies with the little girl.
Maroof has been allowed to travel to New Zealand with her daughter and a carer- Maroof’s mother – due to a Pakistan Cricket Board rule which makes provision for mothers’ "to travel with a support person of her choice to assist in caring for her infant child", with travel and accommodation costs shared equally between the board and the player.
This will warm your heart in beautiful ways: India’s cricket team spending time with the baby daughter of Pakistan team’s captain Bismah Maroof after their World Cup match.
— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) March 6, 2022
V @ghulamabbasshah pic.twitter.com/pg9WpxmBaY
The Pakistan skipper claims having her daughter and mother with her at the tournament is providing her with motivation to do well.
"Overall, it was a really different feeling coming back, in a World Cup, and playing a match," Maroof said post-match. "I think I was a bit emotional. My mother and daughter are there. It was a special moment for me. I really want to make it count in this tournament, because they both are here."
Maroof is one of six mothers’ competing at the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup, which includes South Africa’s top-ranked batter Lizelle Lee.
The Proteas star has not travelled with her new-born baby though, and actually missed her team’s opening match last Saturday against Bangladesh due to having stayed back in South Africa for the birth of her first child.
Lee has since completed her seven-day quarantine period and should be available for the Proteas’ next game against Pakistan on Friday.
@ZaahierAdams