ODI World Cup 2023: No visas for Pakistan fans as sea of blue expected in Ahmedabad

The craze surrounding Saturday's India versus Pakistan clash in the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is at an all-time high.

Fans who have got their hands on the tickets for the high-voltage clash are being hailed as the luckiest species in the cricket fraternity. The tension is palpable as fans of the two cricket-crazy nations are trying their best to encourage their teams on social media ahead of the match.

However, inside the stadium, Pakistan players would do well to spot green jerseys. This is because visas have not been sanctioned for their fans in Pakistan. However, some Pakistani journalists did manage to make the trip across the border after receiving visas at the last minute.

A sea of Indian fans are expected to fill the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday. Pakistan captain Babar Azam said that his team has the experience of playing in front of packed stadiums but felt that it would have been better had some of their fans been allowed.

“This doesn’t mean much pressure because we have played in front of a large crowd several times before... in front of big crowds at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and all the big stadiums... Yes, I think Ahmedabad will only be blue. So if Pakistani fans were allowed, it would have been good for us,” Babar was quoted as saying by The Telegraph on the eve of the match.

'I don’t think there is any disadvantage' -  Rohit Sharma speaks about pressure of playing in front of home fans

India captain Rohit Sharma was asked about the pressure associated with playing in front of over one lakh home fans. The Narendra Modi Stadium, which has a capacity in excess of one lakh, is expected to be packed to the rafters for the ODI World Cup clash between India and Pakistan. The Mumbai batter said that playing in front of home fans is always an advantage as they back the team in all situations.

“I don’t think there is any disadvantage. You feel nice about playing in front of your home crowd. They get behind you no matter what the situation of the game is,” the 36-year-old said.

“My overall experience playing, not just in India, even outside India, we get massive support. So, I have so far never experienced where the crowd has gone against us or anything like that. So, I look at this as a good advantage, big advantage. We know that eventually it boils down to playing good cricket. A lot of the guys in the team love a big crowd, the cheer, the noise in the ground. So yeah, the boys really enjoy it," Rohit added.

Also Check: List of Rohit Sharma international & IPL centuries