When India and Pakistan take on each other in any sport, it attracts attention like no other. The tension between these two countries, which has been brewing ever since the partition in 1947, is clearly reflected when Men in Blue take on the Men in Green in any sport.
Fans on both sides of the border are very passionate when it comes to sports, especially when it involves the two neighbours. Emotions run high as both sides are always expected to get the better of the other. On many occasions, the rivalry surpasses the occasion itself.
Fans take their frustration out on social media, players’ effigies are burnt, their houses attacked and what not.
That being said, India and Pakistan gear up for another mammoth encounter when they square off against each other in the ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval in London on Sunday. But, it will not be the only match between the two arch-rivals on the 18th.
India and Pakistan will battle it out in the Hockey World League semi-finals at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, also in London.
It is quite the coincidence that two matches between India and Pakistan in two sports that has provided some great contests over the years will be taking place on the same day. The cricket match will begin at 3 pm IST while the hockey match will start at 6.30 pm IST which means that both matches will be going on simultaneously at the same time.
The venue of both the high magnitude encounters is London, which is ironic as the British ruled over both India and Pakistan and oversaw the partition. Not only that, the respective stadiums are just 3 miles apart from each other.
Background
The intense rivalry was renewed in the first match of both the teams in this year’s ICC Champions Trophy when they squared off at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 4. The Men in Blue ran out comfortable winners in that match, winning by 124 runs.
On the other hand, in the Hockey World League semifinals as well, the traditional rivals from the subcontinent find themselves in the same group.
Matches between the two Asian hockey giants have always been hotly contested affairs with Pakistan ahead in the head to head with 82 wins compared to India’s 55.
But as we have seen many a time before, past records mean nothing when India take on Pakistan. Current form goes out of the window when it comes to matches between these two historical rivals.
Both matches between India and Pakistan on Sunday will surely be high octane affairs and it remains to be seen who claims the bragging rights at the end of it.
Sporting relations have been strained between the two countries for some time now and they have stopped playing bilateral series against each other. With the two matches on Sunday, they’d have played three matches in the space of 14 days.
Also Read: Hockey World League Semifinals 2017 Schedule: India's Time Table
