India vs Pakistan matches have been the demonstration of one of the most extreme and intensified sports rivalries in the history of cricket. Sunday’s match, at the Old Trafford Cricket ground, Greater Manchester is estimated to have over one billion fans glued to their television sets. The cricket fans of Ranchi have also fastened their belts to support the ‘Men in Blue’.
Local lad and star in the eyes of millions of cricket fans across the world Mahendra Singh Dhoni’ former coach KR Banarjee said, ““Even though Team India is in form, they should not take this match lightly. At the moment, Pakistan team is like a wounded tiger, ready to strike at the next chance. If our team plays sincerely, we will surely win.”
Recalling the antics of young Dhoni, Banarjee said, “ I discovered Mahi when he was in Std 5. For 2 years he only did wicket-keeping after which he was selected for the school team in class 8. In his 12th grade, he scored a double-century in the interschool tournament which has been registered in the Limca Book of Records. After all his hard work, he was recruited in Team India in 2004 and has never looked back since.”
Deemed to be one of the most anticipated matches of the ongoing ICC World Cup, it is grabbing the attention of Indians from all around the globe. PK Nanda, a cricket addict from Ranchi presently living in Nigeria said, “I am very excited to watch the two arch-rivals meeting at the battleground after 4 years. I plan to watch the all-too-rare event with my family at my residence in Ghana. To cheer the country, we all men have decided to cook together and watch the match on the big screen. I, especially, would like to see the batting lineup of India. We are sure to win.”
India has a 6-0 head to head record against Pakistan in previous World Cups. Anshul, a financial analyst and cricket enthusiast, expressing his opinions about the teams, said, “India has a fairly balanced side. Players are in their best form. I think Hardik Pandya and Chahal could prove to be the trump cards for the Indian team. On the other hand, the opposition is struggling with fielding and batsmen are yet to come in form. However, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Amir could create a little problem for India.”
Expressing his curiosity, Abhinav, a B-Tech student at IIT-Bombay from Ranchi said, “Excitement is quite high, since it is an India-Pak match. I plan to sit in front of my TV all day long. I’ll watch the match along with my friends, all the while praying that every ball bowled brings about a positive outcome for the Indian team.”
‘The Hangover’, a group of five friends, have rented some space at the ‘Celebration’ banquet hall in Karamtoli Chowk, Ranchi and are planning to watch the match on big screen with food and drinks. They will also have an after-party.
