Leadership Lessons from India vs Pakistan World Cup Match

India and Pakistan have been great sparring partners for decades and passions have always run high when they play against each other on the field. In fact, for India and Pakistan, Cricket is not merely a game. It is always the defining event of the day, with people glued to the television to the very end. For years, India has always emerged victorious against its neighbour. This past Sunday, however, told a different story. For the first time in over 2 decades, Pakistan achieved its most coveted cricket win against India. It left me with some interesting leadership learnings and here are some that stood out:?

1. Don’t get bogged down by history:

For an Indian, it is no secret that we have always endured against Pakistan in World Cup cricket. We have derided Pakistan for its repeated losses over the past several years (remember the?Mauka Mauka?ad, which pokes fun at a Pakistani cricket enthusiast failing to put his firecrackers to good use). What Sunday, however, proves is that no one should get bogged down by history. Past losses are not proof of future failures. These losses can offer learnings and lead to spectacularly positive results in the future, all you need is perseverance and adequate preparation.????????

2. Leadership is the difference between success and failure:

Traditionally, Pakistan has always been a fairly mercurial team. However, on Sunday, Pakistan’s display was almost uncharacteristic from its self-destructing past. They were an enviable blend of fierce and composed. This complete contrast from past performances can in part be attributed to the leader at the helm, Babar Azam, who despite being in an early period of his captaincy, has proven to be a quick learner and a capable leader for the Pakistani cricket team.

3. Failure is an opportunity to learn:

India learnt a similar lesson as Pakistan – past wins are not proof of future successes. Sunday offered a unique opportunity for India to identify its own shortcomings that led to a loss against a team they have repeatedly decimated in the past with relative ease. Coming fresh from the IPL, India’s batting unit was perhaps not in its best form. Be it, Rishabh Pant of Delhi Capitals or the Mumbai Indians’ Rohit Sharma, Suryakant Yadav and Hardik Pandya, they all had a passable season. And, it showed.

?4. Balance is the key:

Hardik Pandya’s position in the team has been a subject of debate for some time. He took a backseat from bowling, and Virat Kohli instead reiterated his importance as a batter for the team. On Sunday though, he scored 11 runs off of 8 balls and soon after was taken to the hospital due to an injury. This entire episode reiterates an important driver of productivity and success – every individual plays a critical role in the success of a project and must do the job that they are best suited for. If you put an accountant in charge of marketing, you are bound to get startling results.?

5. Sportsmanship in the face of defeat

Even in defeat, Virat Kohli was upheld as a class act by cricket commentators and netizens. After Pakistan broke its losing streak, Virat was among the first players to congratulate the Pakistani team with a handshake and a pat on the back. With a simple gesture, he seemingly elevated himself and the Indian team as true sportsmen. He displayed an important lesson in leadership - failure has to be taken head-on with grace and humility. Because nobody likes a sore loser.