The stage is set for the high-anticipated clash between the arch-rivals India and Pakistan who are gearing up to lock horns with each other in their T20 World Cup opener on Sunday (October 23).
India will look to exact revenge against Pakistan for the 10-wicket humiliation in the T20 World Cup 2021. but that will be the last thing on skipper Rohit Sharma's mind when they take on their bitter rivals in the Super 12 stage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Focus will be on India's batting juggernaut Virat Kohli who will expect his bat to go all guns blazing in the ‘Mother of all battles’.
You always want a piece of him. He is the centre of attention when he enters the arena. He is the topic of endless conversation when he is not around.
He is Virat Kohli. Hero of many a great white-ball battles with Pakistan in the last decade. Kohli didn't turn up for practice on Friday and many went home a tad disappointed.
But on Saturday, around 1000 odd Indian fans had surrounded the MCG "Training Well".
As Kohli entered the training ground, the decibel level reached its crescendo. He took guard and started his net session with full-on intensity.
In between hoards of Indian fans, there was a sizeable number of Pakistani supporters, and one of them decided to try some funny sledging.
"Ae Viraaat. Ae Viraat. Zara Babar Azam ke tarah straight drive maarke dikhao (Virat, just try and play the straight drive like Babar)." If you thought that you have seen it all, another mischievous (in a funny endearing way) bunch of Pakistani fans got hold of a mini speaker and, bang in the midst of Indian fans, started playing the country's iconic Pakistani band Vital Signs' patriotic number, 'Dil Dil Pakistan'.
But the moment the motley bunch started its "Pakistan Jeetega" slogans, they were heavily outnumbered and out-shouted by Indians.
Funny rendition of 'Parde Mein Rahne Do'
It is very difficult to notice Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a team of superstars but a group showed enough creativity to customize Asha Bhosle's 1960s chartbuster 'Parde Mein Rahne Do' from the movie Shikar. "Bhuvi ko khelne do, Bhuvi ko na Chupao."
It was hilarious and some of the support staff couldn't control their chuckles.
However, it will still take some doing to beat the Pakistani customization of 'Balaji zara dheree chalo' (Babuji zara dheere chalo) during India's Tour of Pakistan in 2004, whenever Lakshmipathy Balaji would come onto bowl.
Srikkanth mobbed at MCG
Many companies have made cricket tourism a business with fans paying a bomb to watch an India versus Pakistan game and also get a feel of a world city like Melbourne.
One such group literally mobbed former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who doesn't get half of this attention when he is hanging around Indian stadiums, or moving around in his hometown Chennai. May be a couple of selfie seekers but nothing more or nothing less.
But Srikkanth, who is here as part of the regional (Tamil) commentary team of the host broadcasters, saw a frenzy among fans, and he had to tell them that he has a show to record.
Conditions favour India
But in wet conditions, Rohit would pray that lady luck would shine on him and he would win the toss and maybe opt to chase when his bowling line-up looks a bit scratchy. While India have three spinners in the line-up, there could be only one playing in the end of the persistent rains and a sharp dip in temperature, making the conditions seamer-friendly.
In that case, an out-of-form Harshal Patel, with decent batting skills might be back in the scheme of things. But with three left-handers – Shan Masood/Fakhar Zaman, Mohammed Nawaz and Khushdil Shah, a bowler who can turn it away is always going to be in the mix, meaning Ravichandran Ashwin can never be completely out of the equation.
The strategy to promote Nawaz as a pinch hitter in Asia Cup Super 4 stumped India but they must have done better homework this time not to get caught off-guard. On Sunday, the only factor that puts Pakistan slightly ahead is Shaheen, who is slowly reaching close to his best.
Squads
India
Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel and Deepak Hooda.
Pakistan
Babar Azam (captain), Mohammed Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shan Masood, Mohammed Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammed Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Hasnain.
