What excitement awaits in India-Pakistan match?

Almost eight decades ago, English author George Orwell, born in India, wrote in a magazine, "Serious sports is war minus the shooting." His words are quite fitting when it comes to the India-Pakistan match. When these two arch-rivals face each other, it’s not just a game; it transforms into a full-blown battle.

The players are driven by patriotism and a warlike mentality. It becomes a fight for honor and reputation. This match generates intense excitement, not just among the players, but also among leaders and ordinary citizens. The entire cricket world eagerly awaits such nerve-wracking and fiery encounters.

On Sunday, February 23, the much-awaited and anticipated India-Pakistan match will kick off at 3.00pm at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This year’s Champions Trophy match between these two nuclear-armed, adversarial nations has added extra appeal. There are several reasons behind this. The biggest reason is that, while other teams agreed to play the tournament in Pakistan, India was unwilling to participate. There was much controversy over this. Eventually, a "hybrid model" was adopted for the Champions Trophy.

Moreover, India’s captain Rohit Sharma refused to participate in the photo session before the tournament. India also canceled his visit to Pakistan. What political tension must have led to such a situation? Despite being the host, Pakistan will be playing against India in Dubai. After all the complications, the two teams have come together once again on the same platform, making the match particularly attractive. The demand for tickets has been sky-high.

Tickets for the India-Pakistan match were sold out within an hour of being released earlier this month! No one wants to miss this match. Much like football’s El Clasico, the India-Pakistan rivalry has gained immense popularity. The main reason behind this is that for almost a decade, there has been no bilateral cricket series between the two countries. They only meet in global tournaments. The last time India visited Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup.

After the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan in 2009, Pakistan was banned from international cricket for several years. That same year, after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the bilateral series between India and Pakistan was suspended. The last bilateral series was in 2013, when Pakistan toured India for an ODI series. Since then, the two countries have not played any bilateral series.

Looking back in history, peace between India and Pakistan has never been achieved since the partition in 1947. The two countries have engaged in several wars, and the effects of this conflict have also been evident in cricket. Due to this political rivalry, there’s always external tension when the two teams meet on the field, making the match one of the most highly anticipated on the cricket calendar.

The last encounter between India and Pakistan was during the 2023 World Cup in One Day International cricket. To date, the two teams have played 135 ODIs. Pakistan has won 73, and India has won 57, with 5 matches ending in no result. Since the suspension of their bilateral series, they have played a total of 11 matches in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups, with India winning 8 and Pakistan winning only 2. One match ended in a no result.

Although Pakistan’s recent record against India is not impressive, they do have a great memory: winning the 2017 Champions Trophy final by defeating India, which remains their biggest source of inspiration. Despite their dominant victory eight years ago, Pakistan's start to this Champions Trophy has not been favorable. They lost their first match to New Zealand, putting pressure on the team. Now, with a match against India, they face the challenge of bouncing back and delivering a strong performance. On the other hand, India is in a strong position, having won against Bangladesh and in great form under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. Also, since the match is being played in Dubai, India has the added advantage. The question remains: will this India-Pakistan match in Dubai live up to its expected excitement?