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Kashmiris eagerly await Monday’s clash of titans

By IANS

Srinagar : Kashmiris, much like the rest of India, are eagerly looking forward to the clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Championships cricket final Monday evening.

Interestingly, the sports loving locals are now speaking in terms of the professional superiority of the two teams. It is widely believed here that both India and Pakistan have a wonderfully talented side.

“The team that plays with a cool head will win. Any rush of blood can cost the match,” said Muhammad Ashraf, a former Jammu and Kashmir Ranji player.

“Umar Gul is a wonderful bowler and Pakistan has a great hitter in (Shahid) Afridi, but the Indian side is also formidable. Yuvraj (Singh), (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni and especially the new lot of young players give India the much needed new blood.”

“My joy was doubled after India defeated Australia especially since Pakistan had defeated New Zealand earlier Saturday.”

“You cannot deny the fact that a final between India and Pakistan is really a clash of titans,” said Ali Muhammad, 48, who has been an ardent cricket follower all his life.

It is heartening to notice the younger Kashmiris discuss more about the finer points of the game than any emotive outbursts like in the past.

“I think the two teams are evenly matched. India definitely fields better than Pakistan, but in their semi-final clash with New Zealand the Pakistan players put in their best in the fielding. Tomorrow is going to be a great game,” said 18-year-old Danish Qaiser, a Class 10 student here.

Some locals have already made arrangements for watching the match without power disruptions, which are common in the Kashmir Valley these days.

“I have borrowed my cousin’s generator for Monday as our village has an electricity curtailment schedule for the evening,” said Shabir Ahmad, who lives in Wussan village of Ganderbal district. The final begins at 1730 IST.

“It is very encouraging to see Kashmiris talk of the finer points of the two teams. It is no longer a war as it used to be in the 1970s and 1980s,” said a journalist here.