NEW DELHI: As the highly anticipated World Cup group stage clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan draws near, cricket fever has gripped the city of Ahmedabad. The excitement is palpable, with even the city's hospitals experiencing a surge in patients seeking check-ups and accommodations near the match venue.
Several hospitals have reported a sudden influx of patients booking check-up packages that include an overnight stay, conveniently coinciding with the World Cup's most awaited match. This innovative approach to securing affordable accommodations has emerged due to the soaring hotel prices, which have skyrocketed up to 20 times their usual rates in anticipation of the game.
Tushar Patel, President of the Ahmedabad Medical Association, revealed to Reuters, "We have come across some cases of people coming to watch the India-Pakistan match also taking an appointment for health check-ups and staying in hospitals."
However, the Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association has discouraged its members from accommodating such fans, emphasising that "hospitals are not meant for non-patients," according to its president, Bharat Gadhavi.
The cricketing rivalry between India and Pakistan is intensified by a history of three wars since their independence in 1947 and strained diplomatic relations, particularly following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which India attributed to a Pakistani militant group.
1/10:ODI World Cup: India vs Pakistan key battles
PTI
2/10:India vs Pakistan
<p>Arch-rivals India and Pakistan meet in a blockbuster clash at the World Cup in Ahmedabad on Saturday. </p>AP
3/10:Key battles
<p>A look at four key battles that could decide the eagerly-awaited contest at the world's biggest cricket stadium. </p>IANS
4/10:Rohit Sharma vs Shaheen Afridi
<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma has struggled against Shaheen Shah Afridi's left-arm pace in the few outings the two teams have had in recent times. </p>Getty Images
5/10:Shaheen Shah Afridi
<p>Shaheen rattled Rohit's off stump in their first Asia Cup match in Pallekele last month when the opener's lack of footwork saw him bowled for 11. </p>Getty Images
6/10:Virat Kohli vs Haris Rauf
<p>The stakes were high when Virat Kohli came up against Haris Rauf in a challenging chase at the T20 World Cup in Melbourne last year. </p>Getty Images
7/10:King Kohli
<p>India needed 31 off the last 18 balls while chasing 160 when Kohli held his nerve to smash Rauf for two sixes to bring the house down at a packed MCG. </p>Getty Images
8/10:Babar Azam vs India pacers
<p>Pakistan captain Babar Azam took on the Indian attack with ease as he and Mohammad Rizwan steered the team to a 10-wicket victory at the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai. </p>Getty Images
9/10:Jasprit Bumrah
<p>But two years later, Jasprit Bumrah and company learnt their lessons when they bowled out Pakistan for 128 in a crushing 228-run win in an Asia Cup Super Four clash. </p>ANI
10/10:Iftikhar Ahmed vs Kuldeep Yadav
<p>Iftikhar Ahmed can play anchor or go after the bowling with equal ease but at the Asia Cup last month, Kuldeep Yadav cut short the batsman's knock, taking a smart catch off his own bowling. </p>ANIWhile bilateral cricket between the two nations has been affected by geopolitical realities, the appetite for clashes in multi-team events remains insatiable. Both India and Pakistan have won their opening two matches in the tournament, setting the stage for an exciting showdown.
The demand for tickets was evident when the initial batch sold out within an hour of release in August, prompting the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to release an additional 14,000 tickets earlier this month.
Ahmedabad resident Hemish Patel shared his experience of securing tickets, saying, "We logged into the site with multiple devices. We constantly kept on refreshing the site and were able to book within 10 minutes after the sale of tickets began." Patel and his friends were among the fortunate few.
The popularity of the event has led to ticket resale prices surging up to 25 times their face value, with local authorities taking action against the sale of fake tickets. Additionally, airfare has risen up to four times, and Indian railways have scheduled super-fast trains to link Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The Narendra Modi Stadium, with a capacity of 134,000, will serve as the perfect stage for this intense cricketing rivalry, having previously hosted former US President Donald Trump in 2020 and Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this year. Security measures are also stringent, with the city declared a "no-drone zone" for the match, and 11,000 security personnel deployed to ensure safety.
Although India has an impeccable 7-0 record against Pakistan in ODI World Cups, the rivalry represents an intense sporting spectacle, often referred to as "war minus the shooting." Notably, players from both sides share good relations off the field, as demonstrated by gestures like Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi's gift to Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah for his newborn baby during the recent Asia Cup.
The match will hold special significance for Indian Liyakat Khan, whose daughter Samiya is married to Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali. Khan expressed his excitement at the prospect of reuniting with his family, and is quoted by the Indian Express newspaper saying, "My wife went to Pakistan in 2021 when my daughter was expecting her first child. We will meet again ... I can't wait to hold my grandchild."
(With inputs from Reuters)
