The biggest match in sports, the most viewed match in sports and the most dramatic rivalry in sports is back.
India vs Pakistan has never just been about cricket but a mix of cricket, politics, controversy and public opinion. This time is no different. Indian Fans have argued for a Pakistan boycott after the migrant worker killings.
The last time India and Pakistan met in a bilateral series was during a brief period of peace in 2013. India has a 12-0 record against Pakistan in World cup’s, both T20 and ODI. They have a 7-0 record in T20s.
India’s not the only one with records this time around. Babar Azam’s Pakistan has been on a 10 match winning streak in the UAE.
The tickets for the match in Dubai were sold out within an hour of launching. The excitement still seems to be on a high as the two cricketing giants go head to head. Babar ahead of the match said, “Pakistan stand a very good chance as they have experienced players who have played a lot against India. India start as favourites and they have all the areas covered but in T20 anybody could beat anybody on their day. These conditions suit us and we know how to play here. We need to keep things simple in all the departments.”
While Captain Kohli downplayed the hype and said, “it’s just another game. I have always approached this game as just another game of cricket. I know there is a lot of hype created around this game more so with ticket sales and the demands for tickets. Yes, the environment, you can say, is different. From the fans’ point of view, it is definitely louder. From the players’ point of view, we stay as professional as we can.”
Who will win this match? One of the most anticipated matches in sports history, on the 24th October, a big day for sports in terms of cricket, football and Motor racing. With fixtures like India vs Pakistan (cricket), Barcelona vs Real Madrid (football), Manchester United vs Liverpool (football), PSG vs Marseille (football) and the United States GP (Formula 1) all in 1 day.
