What If Pakistan Wins the Cricket World Cup?

As Sachin Tendulkar breezed past 18,000 career runs in his long slog as the Greatest Cricketer Of All Time (apologizes, Mr. Ali, er, and Mr. Bradman), and India came back from a few close shaves to beat Australia last night, I couldn't get one thought out of my mind.  Pakistan.

That's right, dear reader. Pakistan has looked better than anybody in the ongoing Cricket World Cup, and India's win last night sets up a supercharged semi-final in Mohali, Punjab — a state in the core zone split between the two countries by the Partition of 1947. But if cricket is war without the shooting for the two enemies, as Mike Marqusee will tell you, the semi-final might not be this year's biggest battle.

Due to concerns about terrorism, Pakistan was barred from hosting any matches during this Subcontinent-hosted Cup — played in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. And nobody was too excited about Pakistan's team's prospects coming in, but as India struggled against so-called "minnows," lost to South Africa and tied with England on the way to limping into the quarter finals last night, Pakistan has looked more and more impressive. 

Hate 'em if you want, Indian fans, but the guys in green look tough. And they don't choke.

Which brings up my concern. If Pakistan beats India in the second semifinal on March 30, they'll go into the final with a full  head of steam. And the match will be played in Mumbai — where even if people do understand the distinction between the cricket team's honorable and talented players and the terrorists who attacked the city in 2008, they still see red when they see Pakistan green.