KARACHI, Pakistan – With rain and lightning threatening to disrupt Sunday’s T20 World Cup match against India, Pakistani cricket fans are bracing for another storm – a defeat against their arch-rivals, which is a regular occurrence at the global event.
Pakistan have not beaten India in this tournament since the 2021 T20 World Cup, when they registered a solitary win in eight matches against strong opponents.
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Dejected fans have now gone from expecting a thrilling and unpredictable game to praying for a miracle to see Salman Ali Agha’s side take the field. R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s latest ‘victory’ came in the form of a politically motivated boycott of the match. The initial decision not to play against India was seen as a victory for Pakistan cricket fans, although the decision was ultimately reversed after a week of negotiations with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Whether disappointed or optimistic, fans are still eager for the match.
A decades-old sporting rivalry has turned into an ugly debacle on and off the pitch as political tensions between the South Asian neighbors escalate, with the customary handshake eschewed and light jibes replaced by a controversial gesture that drew on recent armed clashes in May.
With politics and sport blurring the lines on both sides of the border, these games become displays of nationalistic pride and, in some cases, even offensive.
However, the pre-match patriotism in Pakistan did not last long. It was replaced by bitterly disappointed fans airing their thoughts in the form of self-deprecating memes and reels depicting the “stupidity” of some fans who expected a win.
On Valentine’s Day, the night before the match, several social media posts set to a melancholic song were captioned with the caption: “You’ll be heartbroken on February 14th and 15th.”
Both die-hard and casual supporters eagerly watch the match, which lasts over three hours. Come Sunday at 6:30pm (13:30 GMT), people will be glued to screens across the country to watch the high-stakes game.
Roadside teahouses are crowded with male spectators filling wooden benches and plastic chairs and squatting on their haunches in front of small television screens.
Food delivery workers, busy ordering a glut of game-day meals, occasionally stop to catch a glimpse of what’s going on on their cell phones or through restaurant windows.
The fine-dining restaurant will have large screens and accommodate groups of young fans and families.
Housework is completed before the match begins, and the extended family gathers around the TV in the living room to enjoy drinks, snacks, and a biryani feast.
The weekend, which is now the standard time for all India-Pakistan matches to be played due to economic and logistical reasons, will provide a respite from busy school and office schedules and the metropolis of Karachi, which is hit by transport disruptions.
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Despite the days of anticipation and hours spent preparing for this film, fans still have realistic expectations.
Late on a mild Friday afternoon in Karachi, where life was gradually returning to its normal pace after an hour’s break for midday prayers at mosques across the city, a group of young law students picked up their uniforms for a local league match.
“It looks like it’s 70-30 in favor of India,” law student Talha Bandayal told Al Jazeera on Friday while watching her teammates play a game of cricket in the local Bar League at the historic Karachi Parsi Institute.
Bandayar and his friends plan to watch the match at a restaurant in an upscale area of Karachi.
“It’s Pakistan vs. India. I’m excited regardless of the result!”
Syed Ahmed Shah, who was in charge of the league match as third umpire, was more skeptical about his team’s chances and more in line with the country’s overall opinion about Pakistan’s expected performance.
“In our country, sports are the same as politics,” the bespectacled Shah said, comparing two of the country’s most popular topics, much to everyone’s amusement.
“India is much better than us in every aspect, not just cricket,” Shah told Al Jazeera.
Cricket analysts appeared on national talk shows throughout the week, dissecting the team’s shortcomings, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s organizational failings, and the team’s weak mental fortitude for a match of this magnitude.
Local cricketers like Vandayal have analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of Pakistani players. Usman Tariq’s unreadable spin action and variations are considered Pakistan’s secret weapon.
When life is at a standstill
However, when it comes to off-field behavior, India’s tendency to avoid shaking hands with the Pakistan team has raised eyebrows.
“Politics should be strictly separated from sports,” a local cricket coach said on condition of anonymity, referring to Suryakumar Yadav and his team’s controversial actions in last year’s Asia Cup.
“But if India takes such a stance, then Pakistan too needs to have self-respect and respond accordingly,” the 46-year-old coach said.
Indeed, the handshake line has taken center stage in matches that have historically been remembered for scintillating bowling performances, brave innings or nail-biting finishes.
When Pakistan wakes up on a Sunday morning, most cricket fans will start their day by playing their own game of cricket, whether it’s in the narrow streets of their neighborhood or in a vast, dusty stadium where multiple matches are held simultaneously. As evening approaches, we dust off our clothes and pack up our equipment in preparation for the decisive battle in Colombo.
Just as the hustle and bustle of life was replaced by prayers two days ago, the same will happen during the India-Pakistan match.
After all, only cricket and Friday prayers can bring life in Pakistan to a standstill.
