Cricket is more than a sport in India—it’s a unifying force, a source of national pride, and often, a vehicle for diplomacy. But there is a line between healthy competition and insensitive commercialization. When Cricbuzz, one of India’s most influential cricket platforms, promotes the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to Indian audiences, it disregards decades of hostility and bloodshed perpetrated by Pakistan through its well-documented strategy of “bleeding India with a thousand cuts.”
This isn’t just bad optics—it’s a betrayal of the Indian people and an insult to the memories of thousands of victims of cross-border terrorism.
1. Pakistan’s Doctrine of “Bleeding India with a Thousand Cuts”
This phrase isn’t poetic hyperbole—it is Pakistani military doctrine. The policy of “bleeding India by a thousand cuts” was explicitly promoted by Pakistan’s former President and Army Chief Zia-ul-Haq, and carried forward through support for militant insurgency in Kashmir, Punjab, and northeastern India.
“We will keep bleeding India with a thousand cuts” — Attributed to Gen. Zia-ul-Haq’s doctrine during the 1980s, laying the foundation for asymmetric warfare.
Pakistani military and intelligence services (ISI) have since used terror as state policy to destabilize India without engaging in full-scale war.
Reference:
• Brookings: “Pakistan’s strategic shift”
• The Hindu: “Bleed India with a thousand cuts”
2. Track Record of Terror: A Nation That Sponsors Violence
Pakistan has not only harbored terrorist groups—it has actively armed, trained, and funded them. Here’s a short list of major attacks traced back to Pakistani soil:
• 1993 Mumbai Bombings – 257 killed. Carried out by Dawood Ibrahim’s network with ISI links.
• Kargil War (1999) – A Pakistani military infiltration under nuclear cover.
• 2001 Indian Parliament Attack – Led to near-war, blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.
• 26/11 Mumbai Attacks (2008) – 166 dead. Carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, coordinated from Karachi.
• Pathankot (2016) & Uri Attacks (2016) – Carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed.
• Pulwama (2019) – 40 CRPF soldiers killed. Suicide attack openly claimed by JeM.
Reference:
• BBC: “Pakistan-based group behind Pulwama”
• Council on Foreign Relations: “Timeline of Terror Attacks in India”
3. PSL and the ISPR Connection: Soft Power or Strategic Cover?
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is often marketed as a sporting event, but the reality is more complex. The Pakistan Army’s media wing, ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations), is known to use cultural and sporting platforms to project a “soft power” image of Pakistan and neutralize its violent global reputation.
• PSL promotions often include nationalistic themes, ISPR-composed anthems, and military involvement in opening ceremonies.
• It’s part of Pakistan’s “information warfare”—rebranding the nation for international audiences while its security establishment continues to harbor terrorists.
Reference:
• Jamestown Foundation: ISPR’s Use of Soft Power
• Dawn: ISPR partners with PSL
4. Cricbuzz’s Role: Commercialization Without Conscience
Cricbuzz, owned by Times Internet, has a vast Indian user base. When it promotes PSL via:
• Live scores & news coverage
• Push notifications
• Dedicated PSL content for Indian audiences
…it actively amplifies the image of a cricketing product built in a hostile state. This is not harmless sports coverage. It is an unfiltered pipeline helping Pakistan’s soft-power narrative enter Indian living rooms, while Indian blood has still not dried on the streets of Pulwama, Uri, or Mumbai.
Key Questions:
• Would Western media freely promote sports leagues from nations officially sponsoring terrorism?
• Would Cricbuzz ever promote a Taliban-organized sports league under the banner of neutrality?
5. What Should Be Done
Demand Accountability
• Cricbuzz must immediately discontinue PSL promotions in India.
• Indian companies should adopt an ethical filter before supporting or monetizing content from enemy states.
• There needs to be public pressure and regulation to stop indirect cultural normalization of adversarial regimes.
Rebuild National Media Consciousness
• Platforms should prioritize national interest over ad revenue and traffic.
• Encourage Indian leagues, support associate cricketing nations, or focus on grassroots Indian talent instead.
Final Word
No amount of runs or wickets can cleanse the blood on Pakistan’s hands. Cricket cannot—and should not—be used to whitewash decades of terrorism and covert war. Promoting PSL in India is not a business decision. It’s a betrayal of the nation’s pain.
It’s time companies like Cricbuzz realize that neutrality in the face of injustice is not journalism—it’s cowardice.