Event of the Day: India versus Pakistan
Our event of the day is the Cricket World Cup fixture between India and Pakistan at Old Trafford Cricked Ground in Manchester. This is the match that many people have been eagerly waiting for. India and Pakistan have a deep and storied rivalry that does not shy away from the crease. This is truly an unmissable match. The rivalry between India and Pakistan is one of the most intense in sports, making today’s match one of the most anticipated of the World Cup. With Old Trafford hosting, there could be no better venue for the match. 6.84% of Greater Manchester’s population identifies as Indian or Pakistani and the area around Old Trafford Cricket Ground has a significant Indian community. Lancashire Cricket Club has reported receiving over 500,000 requests for tickets and over 1 billion people are expected to watch the match on television/online. This highlights the level of excitement this fixture is generating. So far, India are yet to lose at the World Cup. After starting the tournament late to allow for the end of the Indian Premier League, they began their run by successfully chasing South Africa. Rohit Sharma led by example, scoring 122 of India’s 230 runs. They followed this win by holding off Australia to go to 2-0. In a convincing win, Shikhar Dhawan scored a century while captain Virat Kohli hit 82. Today will be their third match played after their initial third match against New Zealand was abandoned due to poor weather, a problem that has loomed over the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has played through a much more up-and-down journey in this World Cup. They began with a low-scoring loss to the West Indies with Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam sharing the title of Pakistan’s highest run-scorer with just 22 runs each. However, this loss was followed up by an upset win over England. The win snapped a 12-game losing streak in the ODI format for Pakistan. It was a true team effort, with 84 runs from Mohammed Hafeez, 63 from Babar Azam and 55 from Sarfaraz Ahmed. Their third match with Sri Lanka was abandoned due to poor weather before they failed to chase Australia in a high scoring match. Despite another team effort, Pakistan were simply unable to contain the Australian opening pair of Aaron Finch and David Warner, who combined for 189 of the team’s 307 runs. There is so much history behind this match and with two of the greatest rivals in sport taking the field today, you will not want to miss this match.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the US Open, where the competition concludes at Pebble Beach Golf Course in California. Going into the final day of the competition, Gary Woodland sits at the top of the standings at 11 under par. Woodland is locked in a tight battle with Justin Rose, who sits one stroke behind him. With the two men comfortably above the rest of the field, this is a final day you won’t want to miss. The Danish Darts Open continue at the Brøndbyhallen in Copenhagen. In the Women’s Football World Cup, the United States face Chile at the Parc des Princes in Paris. In MotoGP, the Catalunya Grand Prix takes place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. In Super Netball, the Queensland Firebirds host the Melbourne Vixens at the QSNC in Nathan, Australia.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by India Cricket; Pakistan Cricket