Budding cricketers a day before the final at Sector 16 cricket stadium in Chandigarh. (Express Photo by Kamleshwar Singh)
When arch rivals India and Pakistan cricket teams face each other in the final of the Champions Trophy in England on Sunday, it will only be the second time in 10 years that both the countries will meet in the final of a major ICC tournament. The last time India faced Pakistan in an ICC event final was in the T20 World Cup in 2007. With six wins under their belt in nine matches since 2011 World Cup, the Indian team look favorites.
With a mouthwatering final to look forward, fans are all set to watch the extravaganza with some market association and clubs installing big screens for people to watch matches apart from restaurants and hotels providing special menus and offering for the match. “After a gap of 10 years, we will get a chance to watch an India-Pakistan final in an ICC tournament. We will install a 20-feet LED screen in the Sector 23 market for the general public to watch the match.
There will also special arrangements for dhol and crackers for the fans to cheer the Indian team and enjoy the match. People can do shopping while also enjoying match in the market,” said Sector 23 Market Association president Naresh Mahajan while talking with Chandigarh Newsline. While clubs like Chandigarh Club, Chandigarh Golf Club and Chandigarh Press Club have installed LED screens and made special menus for the members, the budding cricketers in Tricity have also made plans to watch the match.
There are more than 1,500 trainees at the various cricket academies in the Tricity and the young trainees are eager to watch local lad Yuvraj Singh in action against Pakistan. “For all the trainees in Chandigarh, Yuvraj sir is like god. And we will practice on Sunday morning and watch the match at the Sector 16 stadium for some time after our training in the evening. We have got some India T-shirts and we plan to wear them while cheering for the Men in Blue ,” said 14-year Rihan, who is a trainee at Sector 16 Cricket Stadium.
