Is the India vs Pakistan hype real? Mood in the camp

India Today

India play Pakistan in their group stage match of the Champions Trophy on Sunday, February 23. While the rivalry used to be fierce earlier, it has gone down a notch with India dominating majority of the ICC competitions in the recent past. We here at India Today ask our colleagues one simple question before the match. Is the hype real?

Transcript

00:00Excitement for the India-Pakistan match is always there, it's the same as it was in 1992 and 1983.

00:21I think it's a lot of excitement, every weekend it's usually India-Pakistan.

00:25I think they also date it very appropriately so that all the fans across both the countries can watch it.

00:30So I'm definitely excited.

00:32Don't care, at all.

00:34India-Pakistan, it's a big match, there's a lot of excitement.

00:37Definitely high excitement as usual.

00:39I have zero interest in cricket, but because it's India-Pakistan so definitely I have some excitement.

00:45There's no less excitement, I'm looking forward to the match and India-Pakistan match is like Diwali for the whole of India.

00:52So everyone will watch and it's really exciting.

00:55A Pakistan-India encounter always produces something very spectacular, even in terms of moments, pure cricketing moments.

01:04So looking forward to something like that, I can't promise I'm going to watch the entire 100 overs.

01:09But maybe I'll join in for the first 15, then towards the end during the power hitting phase.

01:15And yeah, so that's pretty much it.

01:18It's still mocha-mocha for Pakistan and I hope a lot more TVs get broken on Sunday.

01:24It's a little less now.

01:26It's okay, India and Pakistan don't play that much bilaterally.

01:30So there's a little bit of excitement left, just because of that.

01:34Otherwise, if there were bilaterals, Pakistan stands nowhere against India.

01:44Sachin hitting out there for a six.

01:4696th World Cup, when Venkatesh Prasad and Aamir Sohail fought.

01:4996th World Cup, when Venkatesh Prasad and Aamir Sohail fought.

01:59I have all the memorable moments with them.

02:01The one memory I would have is when I'm super small and my dad is watching it on the TV.

02:07And then I walk in and I see some ads, I see the craze behind it and then I walk out of the room.

02:14That is all.

02:15The only memory that's left is Hardik Parnia's 2017 Champions Trophy.

02:22From the older times, I'm not very sure.

02:25But yeah, it's definitely something that keeps playing on the background every time you have a...

02:29Cricket is synonymous with India and Pakistan.

02:32And now it's become a time to party.

02:35You have these extensive watching parties all the time.

02:39So it's an exciting time.

02:41And you do want to see someone like him emulate a greater hero.

02:46Maybe that six off-cover point that Tendulkar hit off Akhtar in...

02:51Which World Cup was that? 2007?

02:552003? Yeah.

02:56I think it has to be the 2011 World Cup match.

03:00Where despite surviving so many LBWs, Sachin Tendulkar still managed to get a good score.

03:09I think that is one great memory.

03:11Sachin Tendulkar's uppercut.

03:14Then Virendra Sehwag used it as a photocopy.

03:16So that is etched in my memory forever.

03:20And then Virat Kohli's 06 Harish Rao.

03:23Who can forget that?

03:25He was extraordinarily out of the world.

03:32Virat Kohli.

03:33Virat Kohli.

03:34And Mohammad Shamli.

03:35So I'm of course Virat.

03:38Rohit Sharma is still in the team as well.

03:41Shubman Gill.

03:42So you want everyone to perform?

03:44I want everyone to perform.

03:45All 11 of them should perform even better right here.

03:48Definitely Virat Kohli.

03:50And bowling side, Shamli.

03:52I hope Rohit Sharma is performing well now.

03:54And this is the time we get to see Kohli play.

03:57I have much knowledge about Shubman Gill.

04:00So I definitely have some expectations.

04:02And of course because I'm Indian, India will win.

04:05Rohit Sharma.

04:06I like Rohit Sharma.

04:07And I want him to play very well.

04:09I mean he'll play.

04:10He'll play definitely.

04:12I really want Shamli to again perform well.

04:14Because he's being from Bengal.

04:16And I'm a big supporter of him.

04:18And after overcoming so many injuries,

04:20he has really gone back to his old shape.

04:22Prediction?

04:23India is a front-runner.

04:24Clear favourites, no doubt.

04:26And I want Virat Kohli first of all.

04:30There can't be a better opportunity than this.

04:32Virat Kohli has that extra motivation.

04:37He has that superman in him.

04:40I hope he wakes up.

04:42And secondly, I want to see Hardik Pandya again.

04:51I think if Wasim Akram is in the commentary box,

04:53I think he's going to do an excellent job.

04:56And I think we can all support Wasim.

04:59Vaiz is going to be there, do we know?

05:02Oh awesome, yeah.

05:03So I'm sure Vaiz will do his swing bowling

05:06from the commentary box.

05:08So that is something I'm looking forward to.

05:10Zimbabwe?

05:11It's a difficult question from Pakistan.

05:15But I think I'll go with Naseem Shah.

05:18I want Naseem Shah to do well.

05:20If Shaheen Sahib was there,

05:22his situation would be over now.

05:24Harish Rao has already been beaten.

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