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Follow Us"Yeh Karachi Nahi hai Bhai, Colombo hai. Yahan Shaheen aur Naseem ko toh hum log dekh lenge. Tum dekho aaj kya ho raha hai," quipped an Indian cricket fan in the lower stands after Rohit Sharma effortlessly dispatched a full delivery over deep backward square leg for a thunderous six.
Javed, the Pakistani fan, was quick with a retort, remarking, "Yeh do over tik nahi payega," unaware of the friendly banter about to unfold. To his credit, he didn't mind it one bit.
As Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma dazzled the crowd with their superb partnership on that sunny Sunday afternoon at Khettarama, Indian and Pakistani fans joined together for an evening of light-hearted fun and camaraderie, which, for some, would extend beyond the stadium. Pubs across Colombo experienced a surge in patrons looking to prolong the celebration.
In contrast to cricket venues in India, Pakistan, or the Emirates, Sri Lankan cricket stadiums offer a much more relaxed atmosphere. Here, you won't encounter stringent restrictions on alcoholic beverages, and it's common to see fans openly enjoying their beers and even smoking cigarettes in the stands. This added to the overall charm of the experience, and despite the game time being curtailed, fans remained resilient.
When the Sri Lankan Meteorological Department predicted a 90% chance of rain for the next week, it was natural that fans from both countries would give the game a cold shoulder. The PCB's pricing strategy didn't help either.
Without consulting any marketing arm familiar with the local market, they initially sold tickets at prices ten times higher than the usual international match rates in Colombo. As a result, stands were barely filled to 30% of their capacity at the start until the ticketing partners adjusted prices midway through the game.
As the partnership between Gill and Rohit continued to flourish, so did the attendance at the stadium. Many travelling fans from both nations saw this as an opportunity to learn more about the other side and gain insights into their own cultures.
Shahzeb Mansoor, a full-of-life 30-year-old businessman from Karachi, provided us with fascinating insights into the Pakistani way of life and how cultural nuances vary across different cities in Pakistan. It was enlightening to understand why Karachi stands out as a more cosmopolitan city than places like Lahore and Islamabad and why it remains the epicentre of the Pakistani culinary experience.
Of course, Shahzeb prefers Handi Chicken Makhni over Butter Chicken Masala, but we can certainly forgive him for that choice.
Many Pakistani fans, travelling outside of Pakistan for the first time, were so appreciative of the influence that Virat Kohli can have on the psyche of a bowler. Even though Manzoor refused to believe that Kohli was any good until he hit Haris Rauf for a six in the last MCG game, the acknowledgement that Kohli is an all-time ODI great was never hidden.
When the rain returned in patches, frustration with the whole arrangement was shared by both parties, and they unanimously agreed to criticize the PCB and BCCI together. After spending a couple of hours hoping the groundsmen would fill the mid-wicket patch and bring the game closer to a restart, umpires and match referee couldn't help but activate the reserve day. After all, the rain showed no signs of letting up.
But the Indo-Pak bonhomie didn't end there. Four of us, three Indians and one Pakistani, shared a local tuk-tuk to make our way to the fort area. I had to call it a day there, but the celebration for the remaining three was just beginning. The Dutch Pub and casinos eagerly awaited a prosperous evening of business.
