Fan frenzy as India–Pakistan clash in T20 World Cup

New Delhi and cities across the subcontinent were awash with colour, song and unrestrained emotion on Sunday as India and Pakistan met in the T20 World Cup, a fixture widely labelled the sport’s most electric rivalry. From dawn, supporters on both sides of the border draped themselves in national flags, set off firecrackers and gathered around every available screen, convinced that the tournament’s pulse is measured by this one match.

“Cricket needs an India-Pakistan contest — you like it or not,” declared 42-year-old New Delhi businessman Prakash Goel, summing up a sentiment felt from Lahore’s food streets to Mumbai’s marine drive. The statement echoed through chants, television studios and social media timelines as fans traded memories of classic encounters and predictions of another epic chapter.

With traffic thinning to a trickle in parts of both nations and offices adopting lenient attendance policies, the day morphed into an unofficial holiday defined by every ball bowled. Whether the result swung towards the men in blue or the green-shirts, the fervour outside the stadiums promised to linger long after the final over, underscoring why broadcasters and advertisers circle this calendar date years in advance.