AB de Villiers Reminds Us: Leave Politics Out of Cricket

 AB de Villiers Reminds Us: Leave Politics Out of Cricket

Few cricketers have earned the admiration & affection of fans from beyond their borders. AB de Villiers is one of them. Whether you saw He eliminates bowlers. in T20 competitions or stroke elegant, match-winning scores in Tests, you felt he wasn't playing cricket — he was living it. And when a person like him talks of the essence of the game, the world is interested.

De Villiers recently made a passionate argument: politics never should and never has eclipsed cricket. And quite frankly, he couldn't be more right.

Cricket Is More Than Just a Game

For all of us, cricket is more than runs and wickets. It's the crack of a bats catch a ball perfectly, the deafening roar of a crowd when a six goes flying into the stands, the silence before the last delivery. Cricket unites people like very little else does. Fans from very different worlds unite to celebrate one moment of glory on the pitch.

But after politics intrudes, all of that magic vanishes. Rather than discussing who batted gallantly in the face of adversity or which bowler changed the game, the talk veers towards agendas, disagreements, and fiasco ceremonies. That is not what cricket has to be.

A Cricketer's Perspective

Consider what is lived by the players: countless training sessions, decades of being disciplined, days spent apart from their families, and incessant pressure to succeed. When they finally get to hold a trophy aloft, that is their reward. That moment is theirs and of the fans who supported them.

AB de Villiers reminded us that such moments of victory should never be tainted with politics. Trophies must represent effort, harmony, and celebration — not division. Politics has no place if it means depriving the spotlight of the people who really deserved it: the players.

Why Fans Feel the Difference

As viewers, we don't watch for political gestures. We watch for cricket. We wish to Look at a power century, a diving catch, or a halting conclusion that leaves us fixed to the television. We wish to honor the sport for what it is — unpredictable, exhilarating, and lovely.

When post-match functions become embarrassing or wins are marred by controversy, it has a sour taste. The pleasure of the match is lost in arguments that have nothing to do with the game of cricket.

Cricket Worth More

AB de Villiers's statement resonates with us because it makes us know why we first fell in love with the game. It wasn't because of politics, power games, and definitely not who gives away a trophy. It was the sheer emotion, skill, drama, and beauty that cricket adds to our existence.

So perhaps it is time to take a step back & recall that. Let the players play. Let the fans cheer. Let cricket be cricket. Politics has its own turf — the cricket pitch must never be one of them.