DUBAI: Fans of India and Pakistan called for “peace” and more cricket between the two Asian giants ahead of the blockbuster clash at the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday.
The arch rivals will lock horns in Dubai in one of the biggest games of the tournament with an expected television audience of up to one billion people.
But matches between the two cricket-crazy nations are few and far between with India cutting bilateral ties with its neighbors since 2007.
“We should play each other more often. It is such a treat to see these two teams on the cricket field,” Mohammad Ashraf, a Pakistan national working in the United Arab Emirates, told AFP.
“Virat Kohli versus Hasan Ali, what a contest! Politicians should not spoil all this for their own gains. Let them play cricket. I pray for peace between the two nations.”
There have been protests in India with calls to boycott the match in the wake of recent killings of 11 migrant workers and minority Hindus and Sikhs in Indian-administered Kashmir.
There was a brief thaw in rivalry when Pakistan toured India for five limited-over matches in 2012-13 but since then have only met in multi-nation tournaments.
They last played at Manchester during the 50-over World Cup in 2019 and India was also urged to boycott that game.
“I brought a ticket for the game as soon as it went online. I mean you look forward to these contests, especially when you are far away from home,” Pankhuri Raj Mehta, an Indian who works in Abu Dhabi since 2017, told AFP. “I know there has always been trouble with Pakistan. But that’s for the politicians to sort out. I will enjoy the game with my husband.”
Tickets for the contest were sold out just hours after they went online and many private online channels are offering resale of the entry passes at ridiculous prices.
But the international Cricket Council (ICC) said the resold tickets would be invalid.
The excitement is palpable in Dubai but some see this as inappropriate due to tensions between the nations.
“I find this exercise pointless. People are being killed in the border area and we are playing cricket,” Raghuveer Singh, an Indian who is visiting Dubai for Expo 2020, told AFP. “First stop the bloodshed and then play as much as you want.”
The two countries have fought two wars over Kashmir – divided between the two nations – since their independence in 1947.
Virat Kohli’s India come into the contest with an unbeaten 5-0 record in the tournament.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said “records are meant to be broken” and the fans echo their captain’s sentiments.
“We will win inshallah (God willing). See it’s a new day,” said Hasan Sheikh, a Peshawar-born who drives a taxi in Dubai. “We have a good team with Babar as the captain and our bowling is great. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali will hurt India.”
Fans pray for ‘peace’ ahead of India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash in Dubai today
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Fans pray for ‘peace’ ahead of India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash in Dubai today
- The arch rivals will lock horns in Dubai in one of the biggest games of the tournament
- A television audience of up to one billion people is expected to watch the game
England comeback win against New Zealand gives Pakistan last shot at T20 World Cup semifinals
- Pakistan have to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the co-host in 13.1 overs
- England have already qualified but completed Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten
COLOMBO: New Zealand failed to clinch a Twenty20 World Cup semifinals place when it lost to England by four wickets on Friday, leaving Pakistan a last chance to qualify.
New Zealand looked set to join England in the semifinals when it reduced England to 117-6 in the 17th over in pursuit of 160. But big hits by Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed got England over the finish line with three balls remaining in a thriller.
“Would have made our lives easier if we won,” New Zealand captain Mitch Santner said. “We played a pretty good game. Credit to England. Jacks and Rehan with the finishing touches, it was a good bit of batting.”
The odds still favor New Zealand going through from the Super Eights but Pakistan has a last-ditch chance on Saturday against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Pakistan has to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the tournament co-host in 13.1 overs.
England had already qualified but completed the Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten.
That record was in jeopardy for much of the chase.
Phil Salt was out in the first over and fellow opener Jos Buttler for a two-ball duck in the second over. Buttler has only 62 runs in seven matches and his 10th career duck set the all-time record for England in T20s.
“He’s played 150 games for England,” captain Harry Brook said of Buttler, “and people need to take a little step back. He’s probably the best white-ball player to play the game. He’s in a rut but it’s exciting to know what he could produce in the next few games.”
Brook and Jacob Bethel were gone inside nine overs then Tom Banton and Sam Curran struggled to share 42 runs in 35 balls. England was left needing 43 runs off 19 deliveries with four wickets on a used pitch that was turning.
Ahmed replaced Jamie Overton because of the pitch and took 2-28, and he made his bat also count.
He sent the second ball he faced over the long-on fence as he and Jacks turned the game with 22 runs in the 18th over bowled by Glenn Phillips. They plundered 16 runs from the 19th bowled by Santner and cruised home.
Jacks was unbeaten on 32 including a six and four boundaries. Ahmed faced seven deliveries for 19 which included two sixes and a boundary.
“Having gone out on a knife edge I’m over the moon,” Jacks said after his fourth player of the match award in the tournament. “Rehan played a brilliant innings. Everyone struggled to get going on that pitch and the six he hit second ball got them rattled and I fed off him.
“Feel confident right now, calm in the middle. That can be vital. We’re going in the right direction, three wins in the Super Eight, we’re very happy.”
Santner chose to bat first, as both teams wanted, and his team made 159-7.
Tim Seifert and Finn Allen opened with 64 in seven overs but they lost wickets frequently from then on. Phillips top-scored with 39. New Zealand scored only 24 runs in the last three overs.
Spinners Jacks, Adil Rashid and Ahmed took two wickets each.
