Cricket Rivalry Reignites on American Soil: India and Pakistan Set to Clash in Highly Anticipated Fixture
The much-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan is set to unfold on American soil once again, a testament to the enduring popularity of this cricketing rivalry. In a stark contrast to the financial struggles faced by players during a previous era, the current generation of cricketers will pocket a handsome $2,000 each for their participation in this trilogy of fixtures.
The India-Pakistan series in the United States was a significant event in the 1980s, a time when players often struggled to make substantial earnings from the game. During those trips, the Indian team found themselves staying in the homes of expatriate families, and some even had to resort to using household bleach to keep their whites clean between matches.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had initially approved the players’ visit to the US and Canada as a “holiday,” but surprisingly forbade them from playing cricket. This decision came after a disastrous tour of the West Indies, where India suffered a 3-0 Test series defeat and a 5-0 ODI whitewash, which seemingly irked the BCCI. Upon their return, the board imposed a one-year ban on several key players, including Vengsarkar, Dev, Shastri, Azharuddin, Kiran More, and Arun Lal, with the rest of the team fined. This crisis in Indian cricket made headlines and was described by renowned writer R Mohan as “cricket’s gravest crisis” in the country at the time.
“We did have a few issues after playing those games in the United States, but it didn’t happen like that,” remarked Ravi Shastri, one of the players involved, with a chuckle.
In contrast, the Pakistani players encountered no such problems, with Imran Khan, who was the team’s captain, board, and chairman of selectors at the time, ensuring a smooth experience. Ramiz Raja, a former Pakistan captain, fondly recalled, “Imran was 10 in one in those days. He was the board, he was the chairman of selectors, he was the captain, so we had no issues with playing in the US.”
On Sunday, at 15:30 BST, the two cricketing giants will renew their rivalry at the dazzling 32,000-capacity stadium in New York, costing a staggering $32 million. Ramiz Raja reminisced about the earlier fixture, stating, “I recall in 1989 there were six or seven Americans at the game, all of them were security guards!” The 2024 encounter, however, is expected to attract a much larger and diverse audience.
Fans can follow the live action with BBC’s TMS commentary on BBC Sounds from 15:15 BST and stay updated with the latest text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
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