The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is in full swing, with 10 teams competing for the coveted trophy in India. Among the many exciting matches, one stands out as the most awaited and thrilling encounter: India vs Pakistan. The two arch-rivals will face each other on Saturday, October 14, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This will be the 12th match of the tournament and the first time the two teams will meet in a World Cup since 2019.
Why is this match so special and hyped? What makes it the most anticipated match of the CWC 2023? Here are some reasons:
- The history: India and Pakistan have a long and intense cricket rivalry that dates back to 1952, when they first played a Test series. Since then, they have played 205 international matches across all formats, with Pakistan having a slight edge over India in Tests and ODIs, but India dominating in T20Is. However, when it comes to World Cups, India has an unbeaten record against Pakistan, winning all seven matches in the 50-over format and five out of six in the T20 format. The last time they met in a World Cup was in 2019, when India thrashed Pakistan by 89 runs (DLS method) at Old Trafford.
- The politics: The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan is also influenced by the political and diplomatic tensions between the two nations, which stem from the Partition of British India into India and Pakistan in 1947, the Indo-Pakistani wars, and the Kashmir conflict. These factors have often disrupted or cancelled cricketing ties between the two countries, making their encounters rare and unpredictable. The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was played in 2012/13, when Pakistan toured India for three ODIs and two T20Is. Since then, they have only met in multilateral tournaments like the Asia Cup or the ICC events. The CWC 2023 match will be their first meeting in over four years, as they did not play each other in the postponed T20 World Cup 2021 due to COVID-19.
- The passion: The cricket fans of both countries are passionate and loyal to their teams, and often consider this match as a matter of national pride and honour. The match attracts huge viewership and media attention, as well as high demand for tickets. According to reports, over 800,000 applications for tickets were made for the CWC 2023 match between India and Pakistan, which has a capacity of only 132,000 seats. The television transmission of the match is expected to be watched by over 300 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched sporting events in the world. The players from both teams also feel the pressure and excitement of playing in front of such a large and passionate audience, and often perform at their best level.
- The stakes: The CWC 2023 match between India and Pakistan will also have high stakes for both teams, as it will have a significant impact on their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages. According to the current points table, both teams have won their first matches against Afghanistan and Netherlands respectively, and are placed at fourth and second positions respectively. A win for either team will boost their confidence and momentum, while a loss will put them under pressure to win their remaining matches against tougher opponents. Moreover, both teams will also want to maintain their World Cup records against each other, as well as gain bragging rights over their rivals.
These are some of the reasons why India vs Pakistan is the most anticipated match of the CWC 2023. It will be a clash of skill, talent, emotion, and pride between two of the best cricketing nations in the world. It will be a spectacle that no cricket fan would want to miss. It will be a match that will be remembered for years to come.