File image of an India-Pakistan cricket match.© AFP
From the time the 2023 World Cup schedule was announced, one match which has expectedly grabbed the limelight is the India-Pakistan clash. The two archrivals will face each other on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India and Pakistan only play cricket against each other in international tournaments, most recently during the T20 World Cup in Australia last year. Any match between the South Asian neighbours therefore becomes one of the most-watched events on the global sporting calendar.
When they do play, cricket fans around the world are glued to their TV screens in a multi-billion-dollar bonanza for broadcasters. The 2019 50-over World Cup clash between India and Pakistan drew 273 million viewers.
All that makes West Indies great Chris Gayle feel that India-Pakistan is bigger than the Ashes.
“India-Pakistan is bigger than the Ashes. That’s humongous. At the world stage, with billions of people watching. Let’s see what happens on October 15. I will be watching,” Gayle said on timesofindia.com.
“Who are the two player who can turn things around for India in the World Cup?” Gayle was also asked.
“Jasprit Bumrah for sure. I am sure he going to be back. Him and Suryakumar are going to be key players for India,” he replied.
India and Pakistan have not met on either side’s soil in a bilateral series since 2012.
They have also not played a Test against each other since 2007, instead meeting only in the shorter versions of the game.
India last won the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2011. Since then, Australia and England have won the title in their own backyards in 2015 and 2019 respectively.
With AFP inputs
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