COME Sunday, Old Trafford will not be a place for the faint-hearted. It will be a day where heroes are born and villains are made. It will be a day where careers are made and ended.
The sheer numbers which have been attached to the India Pakistan group game mean this is inevitably so.
Just about now, close to 1.5 billion people from the Sub-continent will be starting to experience anxiety about a game of cricket to be played thousands of miles away in Manchester.
The game itself is said to have been over-subscribed 30 times with more applications – 900,000plus on some estimates – than the final itself.
Some premium tickets on the secondary market are exchanging hands at more than £10,000 each.
And, perhaps the most crucial statistic is the World Cup scoreline between the countries which reads: India 6 Pakistan 0. So, one team has everything to gain, the other everything to lose at a time when bilateral relations between the countries have been in turmoil.
It is no surprise then that for the Sub-continent this is considered as the greatest sporting rivalry on the planet.
It’s no secret that players from both sides of the equation look at these games as opportunities to be elevated overnight to the stature of heroes. The flipside, of course, is that a failure to perform in such a game means players can be marked down forever as villains.
Denne historien er fra June 14, 2019-utgaven av The Cricket Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 14, 2019-utgaven av The Cricket Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kohli leads RCB to much-needed win
VIRAT KOHLI returned to top form with 72 not out to lead RCB to an eight-wicket victory over the Royals in Abu Dhabi.
TEWATIA HAS SPARKED MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE IPL
James Wallace admits he has been surprisingly taken in by the IPL so far – and, in particular, the performance of a new Royal renegade
Whitewash victory is just the T20 tonic for Keightley
A SERIES that few thought would come to fruition ended in triumph for England who completed a 5-0 whitewash of the West Indies in Derby.
TEN OUT OF TEN! RYAN IS BASKING IN MORE GLORY
Chris Stocks catches up with Ryan ten Doeschate, who has plotted Essex’s recent county domination every step of the way
Surrey have the Will to end hoodoo
WILL Jacks may be a hot batting prospect but he’s relished the added responsibility with the ball in Surrey’s charge to T20 Finals Day.
NOW IT'S OUR TIME TO HELP OTHERS
Chris Stocks catches up with England’s director of cricket and discusses the need for the ECB to help boards around the world
IT'S OFTEN DOWN TO A THROW OF THE DICE
Garfield Robinson explains just how big a part luck plays in determining success or failure in sport
FINDING TALENTS LIKE TOM IS A GAIN IN ITSELF
One of the unexpected highlights to emerge from English cricket’s Covid-attenuated season was the chance given to young players to strut their stuff. With many overseas players and Kolpaks affected by travel restrictions many counties looked instead to the young talent on their staffs with gratifying results.
Future looks bright for the Ohio Slinger
ALI Khan is earning his stars and stripes in the Indian Premier League, with the first American to play in the tournament breaking down barriers in every sense.
Spin trio put squeeze on after Glenn shows off skill with the bat
SARAH GLENN helped England spin it to win it after proving she can make an all-round contribution.
