Thousands will be driving to Ahmedabad on the morning of the match. Over a lakh are expected to fill the stands by noon. At the stadium, there will be flags and chants. The periodic Mexican Wave too can be expected. But still the buzz that is associated with most India-Pakistan games will be sorely missed this time. The Pakistan fans, still waiting for their visas to be stamped, will be conspicuous by their absence.
The two teams. packed with world-class match-winners, are known to play entertaining brands of cricket. A close thrilling game too can be expected but still that one vital ingredient of this famous cricket feast will be missing. You need two hands to clap, Ahmedabad has just got one.
Much before the toss, the mass movement of the fans to the stadium is a fascinating sight. With spring in their feet and voices raised because of excitement, they typically speculated how the game would unfold. The optimism about their team doing well constantly trying to push down the fear of the rivals doing better. Full of early morning enthusiasm, they don’t mind paying extra for the over-priced team shirts or break into impromptu dances. But what gives the mass of humanity the day’s first spurt of adrenalin is the sight of the rival fans.
In football this is a tinderbox situation as fans are known to wear leather gloves stubbed with pointed pellets at knuckles or hide baseball bats under the flags. The violence can escalate, public property can be damaged and lives also can be lost.
Cricket, especially India vs Pakistan fans, are much more civil. They mostly carry home-made food for cricket games. If the game is at a neutral venue, cricket is an excuse for the expats from the sub-continent to socialise. Those wearing blue and green, soon after exchanging pleasantries, break into their nationalist chants. Even while doing so there is a smile on their faces. There is a lot of banter and hardly any toxicity. With each fan group out-shouting the other, the contest gets that extra layer of competitiveness.
At Adelaide during the 2015 World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand, India played Pakistan in the tournament opener. The fans of the two nations set the mood of the tournament by turning up in large numbers.
The demand for tickets was heavy and like Ahmedabad, Adelaide struggled to host the thousands who were flying in. It was estimated that 20,000 non-Adelaide fans were inside the 50,000 capacity stadium. The streets, restaurants and hotels were filled with fans from the sub-continent.
With accommodation options limited, the Adelaide Airport authority came to the rescue. They laid out mattresses and converted the terminal into a dorm. There were entertainment zones that had artificial lawns and picket fences. There was also a giant screen and bean bags. India and Pakistan spoke about cricket, watched Bollywood movies and made plans for the D-Day. It’s the travelling fans that brings the city alive since their sole focus is cricket. They kick up cricket conversations, they are walking billboards that advertise the game.
A day before the game about 5,000 fans decided to stride to the stadium after crossing the bridge built over the river that flows just outside the stadium. It was originally an Adelaide sporting tradition first started by a local football club. Indians never miss a chance to borrow a good idea. They all decided to meet at a park near the stadium and troop to the bridge with their flags.
med, had leaked. The Pakistan fans too were gathering around the bridge on the match morning. Once again there was no pushing and shoving but a joyous expression of their fanhood. Men and women with flags ran on the bridge. Soon they either got bored or tired and that’s when the two groups decide to merge and launch into bhangra. This was real pre-game entertainment. It was extempore, organic and sporty. It truly captured the pre-match thrill of the epic game.
(12 अक्टूबर 2023) राष्ट्रीय हिन्दी दैनिक न्यूज़पेपर में प्रिंट आज की ख़बर.
Later in the tournament the neighbours, Australia and New Zealand, arch rivals since ages, met at Melbourne. On the match eve, a strong army of Kiwi fans landed in Melbourne. New Zealand’s popular radio DJ posted an invite and many landed. They wore the $25 T-shirt with #backtheblackcaps. They sat around crowded tables to discuss cricket. Inside ‘Gents’, you heard about ‘batting first’. In between chants, songs and war cries, an ‘Aussies suck’ scream hit the air. The party had commenced at 5.30 pm, but even three hours later, there was still a long queue on the pavement to get in.
As was the case with the India vs Pakistan game, the Australia vs New Zealand game too was full. The House was divided but it was evident all through the game. With each section of the crowd shouting their guts out to appreciate the wicket their bowler took and the runs their batsmen scored, they cheered. Never was there an awkward silence when the ball raced to the fence or a sudden collective gasp of breath when some wicket fell. Every shot greeted by their respective faithful. On Saturday at the stadium, with just Indians in stands, be ready for the moments of awkward silence and gasp of breaths.
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