QUETTA: Over two dozen Hindu devotees convened at Balochistan’s historic Arya Samaj temple on Friday night, fervently praying for the triumph of Pakistan’s cricket team in their high-stakes World Cup match against archrival India at Ahmedabad’s massive 132,000-seat stadium later today, Saturday.
The emotional appeal of the match owes to the intense rivalry that has historically characterized cricket matches between the two teams, with India holding an unblemished 7-0 record over Pakistan in World Cup showdowns. This stands in stark contrast to Pakistan’s overall lead in one-day international clashes since 1978, boasting a 73-56 advantage.
A Hindu devotee in Quetta Pakistan prays for the Pakistani cricket team in Arya Samaj Mandir on October 13, 2023. (AN photo)
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam remains unfazed by India’s World Cup dominance, casting it off as a relic of the past during a media talk on Friday in which he boldly said that “records are meant to be broken.”
In a conversation with Arab News, Quetta-based businessman Amar Lal emphasized that Pakistan’s Hindu community was deeply invested in the national cricket team’s success and keenly anticipated a triumph over Team India led by Rohit Sharma.
“We are fully supporting Pakistan because the win over India at the Ahmedabad cricket stadium will give immense joy to the whole nation,” he said.
“I specially prayed before Mata Rani to give Pakistan strength over India in tomorrow’s match,” he added.
Azam and his squad have emerged victorious in both of their group-stage encounters.
Hindu community members gather to pray for Pakistan's cricket team as it prepares to play against India in the ongoing World Cup, in Quetta on October 13, 2023. (AN photo)
Despite fan apprehension about the lackluster showing from top-order batters and key bowlers, the team made history in the last match against Sri Lanka by pulling off the highest successful chase of 345 runs in World Cup history.
Raj Kumar, a former president of the Hindu Panchayat in Quetta, said Pakistan was expected to win after losing so many World Cup matches against India.
“We are optimistic and decided to gather here to say a special prayer for the victory of the Pakistan team against India and show the world that the whole nation stands united while supporting the team,” he told Arab News.
Kumar added if Pakistan won the ongoing tournament in India, it would be a huge moment for everyone.
