India-Pakistan cricket matches often worsen than the tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought three wars since their independence from the British in 1947.
In a war-like situation minutes after the India-Pakistan match ended on Sunday night, a Kashmiri student studying in a college in Mohali district in western India’s Punjab state was threatened by a group of nearly 20 goons gathered outside the hostel.
The student named Muzamil told Aljazeera that a group of nearly 20 goons gathered outside the hostel to thrash him after the match.
A 22-year-old student, who did not disclose his name, told the reporters that he had never seen those faces and had no idea who they were. They had sticks and they beat up three of my friends. He was afraid and didn’t leave the room, he told.
After the assault, Muzamil said his friends were forced to move into the house of another friend, as they feared for their safety.
This was a game and supporting any team is an individual’s choice. What happened to us is really, really wrong, Muzamil told Al Jazeera. It happens with Kashmiri’s in Delhi and everywhere else. As a Kashmiri student, he feels unsafe in India, he said.
Just before the start of the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup cricket match in Dubai on Sunday, the Indian team took a knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. As soon as the match ended, there were reports of bursting firecrackers by Kashmiri students on Pakistan’s victory. There were also reports of attack on Kashmiri students in India.
Nasir Khueham, the spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Students Association said at least 14 Kashmiri students were attacked across India following the match, with seven of them sustaining serious injuries.
Kashmir is claimed by India and Pakistan, which rule over parts of it.
After India’s loss, Indian pacer Mohammad Shami received hundreds of abusive messages, some of which labelled the fast bowler a traitor even called him a Pakistani and suggested to thrown him out of the Indian team. Critics also highlighted why the Indian cricket team had not spoken up about Shami being singled out.