On February 15, 2026, while checking the stand details on their match ticket, an excited fellow journalist said, “Our view is best for the square cut, where Sehwag hit Shoaib Akhtar for a six (Where Sehwag hit a six off Shoaib Akhtar).” The journalist was referring to the match between the arch rivals on the day of Maha Shivratri in the 2003 World Cup.
Almost 13 years after India’s famous win over Pakistan in Centurion, the hype surrounding the T20 World Cup clash was far beyond expectations. As Harsha Bhogle said disappointedly in a video, the buzz about the India-Pakistan match felt manufactured rather than organic.
Sitting inside the bus on the way to Colombo’s iconic R Premadasa Stadium, I read a social media post which said that this match would be the first India-Pakistan World Cup encounter without Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni or Virat Kohli. This is not a shocking statistic, yet it makes me wonder about the quintessential “star power” element missing in the current Indian team.
Indian fans missed the presence of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the ICC T20 World Cup match against Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 15 (Sunday). | Photo Credit: ANI
dwindling rivalry
I went to Colombo to be a part of Budweiser 0.0’s BUD Hotel Experience, where fans, tastemakers, journalists and influencers were brought together under one roof in an effort to experience the frenzy surrounding the so-called marquee encounter.
In the run-up to the Group A match, I interacted with fans of both teams, and the main reason was the declining nature of the once famous cricket rivalry. On the way from the airport to the hotel, an Indian gentleman sitting next to me said on the phone, “I’m not interested in this. Sports are just an excuse for me to meet you all.” It was a sign of things to come for me.
The ‘will they, won’t they’ situation, which was a result of Pakistan’s earlier decision to boycott playing India, had lost the interest of many fans. Sports were clearly eclipsed by politics. Once the situation was cleared up, this match was important from a cricketing perspective, simply because these two teams did not play bilateral series.
Also read: India-Pakistan match: In defense of ‘boring’ match!
On the cold night before the match, as I was trying to understand the somber mood surrounding the competition, I met about 20 Pakistani fans. “My name is Anwar,” he said. In our few-minute conversation, Anwar presented the image of a self-aware fan. He had no hesitation in accepting that India was a better team. What was more shocking was his indifference towards publicity. “What’s the party scene like in Colombo?” This was his big question.
Pakistani fans got little to cheer during their country’s ICC T20 World Cup match against India at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 15 (Sunday). | Photo Credit: Lahiru Harshana
Mentality of new generation players
Shortly afterwards, I met a young Pakistani player who had not yet played a single match in the ongoing World Cup. “Do you feel pressure?” I asked a clichéd question. “Not at all. The pressure, if there is any, will disappear after a few overs. After that, it is just a game of cricket,” he said with a smile. A calmer mind, my less critical mind thought. Could it also be overconfidence? asked my critical mind.
After this came another clichéd question. “Who is your inspiration from Pakistan?” He didn’t wait for an answer, “myself,” (I am my inspiration). I did not expect that an emerging player would not choose a single name from the country’s rich cricket history. The current players have had to bear the brunt of the media and experts for not giving importance to great players like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
cricket talks in colombo
Colombo is a neutral venue for the game, and locals are eager to see if the match will live up to the hype. The World Cup has created a passion for cricket in the city. At the popular Mount Lavinia beach, I watch a young Faith take a catch from her father. He dives in and catches them cleanly. Faith is just nine years old and loves cricket, her father tells me. “India-Pakistan will play on top of Group A,” says the shy boy. “I also watch WPL and IPL,” he adds.
On the day of the match, a sea of blue covered the roads leading to Premadasa. Indian fans dance and sing, giving the impression of a must-see game, although records tell a different story. Barring two instances (2017 Champions Trophy final and 2021 T20 World Cup league game), India has regularly won matches against Pakistan in major ICC tournaments.
glorious day
My disappointment stems from the glory days of watching these two teams fight with a heady mix of patriotism, talent and valor. My first memory of the thrill of watching an India-Pakistan game was when my father would clap and shout in joy after Hrishikesh Kanitkar hit the winning four on the last ball to help India win the Independence Cup in Dhaka. Whenever they faced each other in the World Cup in the 1990s and early 2000s, the players gave their best performances (Ajay Jadeja and Venkatesh Prasad in 1996, Sachin Tendulkar and Saeed Anwar in 2003).
Just before entering the stadium, I saw an enthusiastic fan talking to the local media. He said, “Pakistan are favourites! The Indians don’t understand how to play Usman Tariq. Abhishek Sharma was unwell recently and Tilak Verma has recently returned from injury.” His words gave me hope for an equal contest.
Also read: Sunil Gavaskar says it will be difficult for Pakistan to defeat India’s B team
Everything was normal till an hour after the start of the game as the Indian batsmen made fun of the enthusiastic fan’s analysis. More than the fighting on the field, the scenes two rows in front of me caught my attention. A Pakistani fan sat between two Indians. The Indians were seen teasing the Pakistanis on every boundary and sixer. Hugs followed by light banter.
admirable cordiality
India posted a competitive total (175/7), and as the players left for the break, I said hello to the three in front of me. Umar, Ram and Viral were colleagues. They had come from Dubai to watch the game. Umar said, “In Dubai, we have no enmity between India and Pakistan. We all watch the matches together and enjoy them.”
As India took on Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup in Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 15 (Sunday), fans of both the countries shared light-hearted moments. | Photo Credit: AP
The Pakistani fan said that the publicity is causing more harm than good to the team. He said, “Babar does not think he is the Kohli of Pakistan. This is the media’s story.” I asked Indians if they were missing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He said, “Of course, but T20 cricket does not need stars. It needs big hitters and batsmen who can time the ball well.” Well put, and that’s another reason why the huge noise around just two teams makes no sense when there have been so many unexpected heroes and major upsets in the tournament so far.
much Ado About Nothing
Babar flopped and Pakistan disintegrated. There has been no change in the script of the one-sided rivalry. Despite seeing the damp squib, fans are waiting to see if the players shake hands or not. They don’t do that because politics has been dictating things on the cricket field. A journalist vents his frustration after watching a dull game on social media. “You call this El Clasico?” he wrote on his Instagram Stories.
I get inside the hotel elevator, ready to retire after a long day. A Canadian welcomes me with a smile. “I assume you watched the game?” “Yes,” I said with a faint smile. “Oh, India vs Pakistan, a big game,” he replied. “Do you watch cricket?” I quipped. “No, but I know that India and Pakistan hate each other.”
His answer summed up the current state of the competition between the two teams. Events off the field have affected the action on the field. A spirited rivalry has lost its luster.