India vs Pakistan might be absent in the schedule of T20 world cup at Colombo yet Pakistan captain Salman Agha believes that the ingredients are there to provide the hype, excitement and full stands. Combining a sense of humour with confidence Agha spoke about the lack of most watched competition in cricket and the way the focus should be turned back to the field performance and the increasing comfort of Pakistan in the Sri Lankan conditions.
The India vs Pakistan has been the star of the shows whenever the world tournaments find their way to South Asia and it cannot be easily replaced by broadcasters and fans. When questioned directly about what he intended to say to the Sri Lankan supporters who would no longer get to experience that confrontation in Colombo, Agha decided to be light hearted about it. He grinned and further informed fans that they had three more games to enjoy and assured them that they would be exciting. It was an exposing quote, not only of his easy-going style of leadership, but also of the efforts by Pakistan to come out of the political clamour which has enveloped this World Cup construction.
First, Agha consciously tried to work out the fact that Pakistan is closely tied to Sri Lanka. Referring to the island country as his second home, he talked about visiting the country five or six times where he was lent a friendly ear even by the local crowds. The relationship is an exception because in a part of the world where geopolitics have consistently strained cricketing relations, the relationship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has been decades old. That relationship now acquires extra meaning with India vs Pakistan no longer being the part of Colombo narrative.
The situation in the tournament is however, multifaceted. The refusal by Pakistan to play India has restructured Group A where Agha is left to play against the Netherlands, USA and Namibia whose fixtures are all in Colombo. These games might not be promoted coming up to the scale of India vs Pakistan but they have a lot to lose in regards to qualification, pace and fan turnout. Agha seems to be well-informed that good shows are the most effective means of bridging the emotional void that now exists because of the absence of the rivalry.
India vs Pakistan is also playing in the shadows in terms of evaluation of fans interest. As a matter of fact, Singapore supporters now have anxieties more at home. The recent 3-0 whitewash of the hosts by England was followed by visible anger in the stand with viral clips showing spectators threatening each other virulently over their respective players. It is on that context that the victory or defeat of the campaign of Sri Lanka can potentially have a more significant role in determining the number of the crowd than the defeat of a single game. In the event that the hosts begin to win, neutral games are expected to attract fans; otherwise, vacant seats are bound to be a common sight.
Nevertheless, Pakistan may grow to be the proxy cause. In the past they had been successful in Sri Lanka, having won nine of the 13 matches of T20s that were held there. Agha does not forget that record, despite accepting the plight of the Pakistani side on the global platforms in the recent past. The confidence in early exits at the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup and the previous year champions Trophy do not auger so well but Agha believes the atmosphere in the squad is quite different this time.
India vs Pakistan is the measuring rod of the South Asian teams and Agha thinks there is a true hope with the recent performance of Pakistan in terms of performance. According to him, the team has checked all the boxes in the last six months as players are clear on their respective roles and they execute plans successfully. Such transparency, in addition to favourable circumstances and domestic goodwill, may enable Pakistan to develop a powerful campaign even in the absence of their biggest opponent, who may not be sharing the same stage.
Lastly, the remarks of Agha are an expression of an even greater effort to redefine expectations. Instead of pondering how India could play without Pakistan, he is welcoming fans to review Pakistan by seeing their playing, adapting and entertainment methods. His down-to-earth, non-partisan tone is notable in a tournament which already has political baggage. Provided that the corresponding mindset can be translated into field wins by Pakistan, Colombo might still have a lot to look forward to.
Even without India vs Pakistan is certainly crucial, but there is no reason why this should be the experience of the World Cup in Sri Lanka. In the case of Pakistan, it is so easy to be afraid of nothing and play a courageous game of cricket, to accept the support that has always been present everywhere on the island and provide the fans with new memories. With a success, the noise about what is lacking can be soon overwhelmed by the sound.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeroto30s/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeroto30s
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeroto30s
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zeroto30s