KUALA LUMPUR: The rivalry between two neighbouring nations - Pakistan and India is well documented due to age-old political tensions.
But now it seems a new breath of fresh air is enveloping the two cricket-mad nations as the ICC World Twenty20 2016 cricket tournament commenced in India last week.
Thousands of fans from across the divide have done something unimaginable - via the Facebook profile picture frame feature.
The facebook.com/profilepicframes is designed to allow fans to show support for their favourite teams by displaying the flag of the nation supported around their profile picture.
However, thousands of Pakistani fans chose the Indian flag to be shown around their profile picture and vice versa, with the hashtag #ProfileForPeace.
One man who was bowled over by the gesture of unity between the arch rivals was Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg.
“Something pretty interesting is happening in India and Pakistan on Facebook right now," said the tech giant founder on his personal Facebook account yesterday.
“Fans around the world are going to facebook.com/profilepicframes and using a profile frame to show support for their favourite teams. But fans from India and Pakistan are doing something different.
"Hundreds of thousands of Indian cricket fans are putting the Pakistani frame around their picture. And Pakistani fans are doing the same thing -- showing support for India. They're using the hashtag #ProfileForPeace,” he said.
Zuckerberg said the company wanted to help people show support for their favourite teams or a cause they believe in.
“But this story shows that the more connected we are, the more we realise that what unites us is more important than what divides us,” said Mark.
A Facebook user by the name of Jyotirmoy Karmakar wrote that although he is a proud Indian and supports India, he also supports Pakistan, not only in cricket but other things as well.
Another fan, Wali Masood from Karachi, said “I am a Pakistani supporting India, #peace for both countries #love”.
What make this even more interesting is that India is scheduled to face Pakistan on Saturday.
The tournament started on March 8 and will end on April 3, which sees holders Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, England and Afghanistan in Group A while India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and Bangladesh in Group B.
The online campaign #ProfileForPeace is aimed at ending the hatred between the countries and fostering unity.
Perhaps politicians from the both nations can learn that this simple bat and ball game could bring the nations closer and bring an end to years of suffering.