Cricket in the Crossfire of Politics
As the 2026 World Cricket Cup unfolds under diplomatic strain, rising tensions between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh show that the sport is no longer just a game but a stage where politics, nationalism, and media capital collide.
The 2026 Cricket World Cup illustrates how the sport is no longer insulated from politics. Its most lucrative rivalries take place at the intersection of geopolitics, commercial spectacle, and concentrated economic power. (Viraj Kothalawala / MB Media / Getty Images)
In a barbershop in downtown Srinagar, in what locals still call Shehr-e-Khaas, the crowd is not waiting for haircuts. They are waiting for the toss — the coin flip that determines who bats first.
The shop is narrow — its walls lined with mirrors that multiply the room into reflections of reflections. Hair gel, talcum powder, aftershave bottles, and shaving creams crowd the glass shelves. The scent of talc and trimming spray lingers in the air.
A television is mounted high in a corner, tilted slightly downward so it can be seen from every chair. Loose cables dangle beneath it. On the screen, the green outfield fills the room with a glow.
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