Ever since the World T20 fixtures were announced, the one game cricket fans all over the world were looking forward to with great anticipation was the group stage encounter between hosts India and arch-rivals Pakistan.
The eagerly awaited contest, which at one point was in danger of being called off due to security concerns, is now less than 24 hours away and fans from both countries are awaiting with bated breath to see how the match unfolds. The venue of the tie might have been shifted from the picturesque Dharamsala to the historic Eden Gardens, but there is surely no change in the anxiousness in the hearts of both sets of supporters as the big day approaches.
Despite the long rivalry between the two Asian heavyweights, the build up to this particular India-Pakistan contest has been rather cordial. The precursor to this match – the Asia Cup encounter which Indian won en route clinching the trophy – has been a major reason for the same with the image of India’s premier batsman Virat Kohli consoling Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir following his devastating spell, which though ultimately went in vain, had India in a spot of bother after setting out for a low run-chase, still fresh in the memories of cricket fans.
Less than two weeks later, the two future cricket legends have given a moment to cherish yet again with Kohli gifting Amir one of his bats while cricketers from both countries were engaged in a practice session at the Eden Gardens on Friday. The two are seen engaging in a little chat before Kohli presents the bat to the 23-year-old fast bowler who is seen testing out the new bat with a proper stance.
What makes the image even more special is that Pakistani skipper Shahid Afridi can be seen in the foreground as well, taking part in practice drills. The 36-year-old has been in the news for all kind of reasons, ranging from his poor run of form to his blistering knock against Bangladesh in their World T20 campaign opener on Wednesday, but most of all for his pro-India fans comments, which unfortunately didn’t go down too well with some sections of his fans back home.
As the countdown approaches zero for the big clash, cricket enthusiasts will be hoping that India and Pakistan play out a thrilling contest in front of a jam-packed Eden Gardens crowd with players from both countries giving their all, in a competitive but fair and friendly manner.
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