Sold-out stadium, political tensions and rivalries set the stage for T20 World Cup showdown
Naqvi meets Pakistani players ahead of high-stakes World Cup clash with India PHOTO: PCB
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday met national team players and management ahead of the high-stakes T20 World Cup match against India in Colombo.
The match – the most profitable spectacle in world cricket – has sold out Colombo’s 35,000-capacity R. Premadasa Stadium and hundreds of millions more are expected to watch on television worldwide. It almost didn’t happen.
Pakistan had earlier announced that they would boycott the tournament in protest against the removal of Bangladesh from the sporting event. However, late on Monday evening, the government directed the team to take the field on February 15, saying the decision was taken to “protect the spirit of cricket”.
With bilateral cricket a victim of strained ties, emotions run high when the neighbors meet in multi-team tournaments at neutral venues.
During Naqvi’s meeting with the players, professional matters and the team’s performance were discussed. He encouraged the team and praised their commitment and determination and expressed his best wishes.
Captain Salman Agha, Head Coach Mike Hesson, Manager Naveed Akram Cheema and all players and coaching staff attended.
Naqvi also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after which it was decided that he would visit Sri Lanka to deliver a special message from the Prime Minister to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The Sri Lankan leader had urged Pakistan to play the match during a conversation with Sharif and recalled Pakistan’s past solidarity with Sri Lankan cricket during difficult times.
The tensions surrounding the competition have deep roots. Strictly on merit, however, the rivalry has been one-sided in recent years.
Defending champions India have a 7-1 record against Pakistan in the history of the tournament and reinforced that dominance at last year’s Asia Cup in the UAE, beating Pakistan three times in one event, including a stormy final marked by provocative gestures and exposed handshakes.
Salman said on Saturday that his team had been “always ready” to face India despite getting clearance just days ago.
“This is a very big game and the scale is huge,” he said ahead of training at the stadium. “We were always ready for the game, regardless of the decision.”
Pakistan opened with a miserable last-over three-wicket win over the Netherlands and then beat the USA by 32 runs.
Read: Mohsin Naqvi briefs Prime Minister Shehbaz on national security in Islamabad
“We are in good momentum and I hope being in Colombo since the start will help us in terms of the conditions,” Salman said.
Rain is forecast for Sunday evening, which may affect the game.
The skipper expects spin to dominate and named off-spinner Usman Tariq as his trump card against India’s powerful batting line-up.
“Usman has bowled well and I am sure the mystery element will make him our trump card,” Salman said, dismissing doubts about the legality of the bowler’s sling-arm action and pause in his stride. “He’s been cleansed twice so there’s no worries.”
Salman also expressed hope that players would shake hands unlike during the Asia Cup.
“The game must be played in the true spirit of the game,” he said. “It’s been the norm in cricket for years, but however they want it, we won’t know until tomorrow.”
Both teams have won their first two group games, meaning Sunday’s winner will secure a place in the Super Eights.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged the magnitude of the clash.
“It’s a big platform, of course,” he told reporters. “No matter how much you say it’s just another game, it’s a big game.
“We don’t play them often, we don’t even play them regularly. But at the end of the day, we try to keep things simple and try to play our best game.
“There is pressure but there is a big opportunity. According to me, when you play an India-Pakistan game, it is more about the occasion.”
Read more: ICC invites major Asian stakeholders to Pak-India Feb 15 T20 clash for ‘melting ice’ talks: report
He said opener Abhishek Sharma had recovered from a stomach bug and was likely to play after batting in the nets on Saturday.
Yadav also played down the hype surrounding Usman’s bowling.
“We have been practicing with similar types of bowlers and similar actions, so we will try to execute what we practice in the night sessions,” he said.
Asked if players would shake hands, he replied: “I will break the tension tomorrow. Wait for 24 hours, let’s play the game which is more important.”
Last September, India beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup – their first meeting since a military conflict in May. Tensions subsequently rose when Indian players left without shaking hands, sparking outrage in Pakistan. PCB lodged a protest and Salman boycotted media duties after the match. Yadav further fueled the tensions with political remarks.
Following the incident, the PCB demanded that match referee Andy Pycroft be removed from the Asia Cup. In a letter to the ICC and Marylebone Cricket Club, the board warned it would reconsider continuing in the tournament if Pycroft was not removed.
