By Shilpa Raina, IANS,
Lahore : As I removed my shoes to enter Badshahi Mosque in the old city here, our guide Bilal Ahmad asked in excitement: “Are you ready for the semifinal between India and Pakistan? Isn’t it a game to die for?” I smiled – it had helped break the ice and start a conversation.
Pakistanis can hardly wait for Wednesday, when the two teams will clash at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in the Indian town of Mohali, 230 km from here.
When this IANS correspondent asked Bilal who he thinks will win, he said: “Both teams are very strong. We have a powerful bowling attack while you (India) have Sachin Tendulkar. So we can’t say anything now.”
But the man in his 40s then added: “India have better chances.”
I also met youngsters who were not as polite as Bilal when it came to the match.
“We will win and you will witness the euphoria afterwards,” said IT professional Hassan Aslam. “It’s our game, we are not gonna lose it so easily, you better wait and watch.
“If India wins, I think Sachin Tendulkar will be the sole reason because this will be his last World Cup, and he deserves it,” he added rather sportingly.
Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural capital, is all geared up to watch the high-voltage clash. It has even impacted the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week (PFDC-SFW) that will start Tuesday.
The organisers have cancelled all their second day shows and shifted it to other days because “nobody” wants to miss the action in Mohali.
“Will Wednesday be a national holiday in India?” asked Saad Ali, a PR executive, adding he wished they would declare Wednesday a holiday in Pakistan.
“Nobody will want to go to work. If you are thinking of going for shopping, forget it. No one will be interested in attending to you. So it’s better for you to sit with us and watch the match!” Ali said.
I also bumped into Pakistani women who were equally enthusiastic about the game — and plan to join their kids and husbands to watch the match live.
“I am not a cricket fan. But when you have India-Pakistan playing against each other, and that too for a World Cup match, who would want to miss it? I will cheer for my team. I will wear the Pakistan jersey. Inshallah, we will win the match and the cup too,” said Huma Adnan, a fashion designer.
People are touching base with each other, fixing plans to see whether they want to go to some pub or restaurant to enjoy the game on the big screen or slouch in their favourite couches at home.
Some are upset at rumours that the match is fixed.
“We have been hearing these stories about Rs.10 crore being offered to each Pakistani player to throw away the match. So we don’t know, we can’t predict who will win, both sides are good. Yes, we have a bad record against India in the World Cup but this year we have broken the Australian jinx, so this might be on the cards, who knows,” said Irfan Malik.
And if India wins, who will they support in the final?
“Well, I think it will be India because I know we people are so near and yet so far,” said Omar Jamil, CEO of Latitude PR firm.
People are also active on the social networking site Facebook to express their feelings and sentiments.
Businesswoman Fareshteh Aslam posted: “Pakistan se dushmani achchi nahin, India. Sheila teri jawan hai, Munni teri badnam hai, aur captan hamara Pathan hai!” (Animosity with Pakistan is no good, India! Your ‘Sheila’ is young, ‘Munni’ is notorious and our captain is a ‘Pathan’.)”
With each moment, the frenzy around the match is becoming stronger. But there are some who don’t want to take so much tension and are finding ways to bust the stress.
“There will be so much nerve-wrecking pressure and I don’t want to take that, so I might skip it for a spa session. But the chances of a way out seem very bleak as the entire nation will be hooked to television sets,” said Fathma Irfan, a housewife.