In the framework of match-scheduling, March 19 saw an impeccable move by the International Cricket Council in the context of Twenty20 (T20) World Cups being held in India. Cricket being the most followed sub-continental sport, and games between the traditional ‘rivals’ Pakistan and India touted as some of the most-watched cricket-viewing events in the history of cricket, the two matches in New Delhi and Kolkata on Saturday became the highlight of the tournaments, which still have quarter, semi and final matches. The first one was the Women World T20 game between Pakistan and India, and the other between the men’s teams of Pakistan and India. Led by Sana Mir, Pakistan produced a solid performance, thus clinching a victory decided on the Duckworth-Lewis method after rain in Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi. Using six bowlers, Mir’s team kept the pressure on India restricting them to 96, and at 77-4, the match was given in Pakistan’s favour after heavy rain stopped the game. It is an interesting, and moreover, an unfortunate reality of Pakistan cricket that this victory of women’s team would not have received so much attention if it was not against India, and on a day when the men’s team was also playing against India. Courtesy the T20 format, the game of cricket has assumed a level of popularity that has more to do with instanification of results, hyped publicity, oversized game-fee, presence of high-profile personalities and big-stake transmission rights than with the intricacies of cricket. And while there is no reason to negate the popularity of T20 matches, or the ones played between Pakistan and India, this highlights the scant attention given to other popular sports — hockey, football, tennis, squash, badminton, boxing, wrestling — in the subcontinent. That in turn perpetuates an environment of disenchantment and decline of spirit in players of other sports, which subsequently results in the domination of one sport. And while that has its positive side, there is an undeniable pressure and exaggerated expectations from players of a sport — cricket — that requires an unquantifiable mix of talent, selection, practice, perseverance and single-mindedness during all games. All World Cup matches are considered important, but the level of anticipation that is reserved for Pakistan-India matches is in a league of its own. Disconcerting it is in the structure of the importance of a World Cup to have Pakistan team be labelled terrific but unpredictable. Magnificent individual talent but an absence of collective match-winning ability: this is one refrain about Pakistan team that would be palatable if not true. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 55 in his trademark brilliance, each shot placed carefully and confidently, backed by Yuvraj Singh’s batting, not only ensured his team’s victory by reaching Pakistan’s total of 119 with six wickets in hand, but also bagged him the Man of the Match award. Pakistan’s team performed well, and had there been more effectiveness in their bowling — playing with four pacers on a spin-friendly wicket, and having replaced Imad Wasim with Mohammad Sami — the result may have been the same but with less winning-margin given to India. The Indian batting line-up is one of the best in the world at the moment, and the same could be said of Pakistan’s bowling strength. But no amount of good bowling by Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Sami would produce an innings-win if it were not propped by solid fielding. A weak score has to be supported by excellent bowling, and flawless fielding in a limited-over match, and Pakistan’s fielding, invariably and consistently, is shoddy and not up to the standard of a World Cup tournament. The Saturday match, which appeared to be on verge of cancellation due to heavy rain in Kolkata, flagged off in flamboyance, presided by West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee, with Amitabh Bachchan, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Sunil Gawaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. After Shafqat Ali Khan’s insipid rendition of Pakistan’s national anthem to a crowd of 61,337 and billion-plus cricket viewers across world, it was Amitabh Bachchan’s singing of Indian national anthem that would go on to become the highlight of the match that had the who’s who of India — like Nita and Anil Ambani — in the stadium. March 19 match had another byline: “India have never lost to Pakistan in any World Cup; Pakistan have never lost to India at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.” India’s victory nullified the second part too. *