The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan is a tale as old as time and for fans on both sides it’s bigger than cricket itself.
Around 100,000 fans descended on the MCG on Sunday to bear witness to one of sports most watched rivalries. 60-year-old Najib Hussein arrived in Melbourne the previous night from Parachinar, Pakistan, to attend the match with his son who lives in Melbourne.
Hussein was only a teenager in 1947 when then British India was separated into modern-day Pakistan and India.
“I have never been to the MCG but It’s where Pakistan won a World Cup in 1992, and it’s good to come here and finally get to see it,” he said.
Pakistan supporters Hassan Anees and his father Najib Hussein await the MCG clash.Credit:Chris Hopkins
Hussein’s son Hassan, who lives in Caroline Springs and has seen the rivals play in Pakistan in 2008 and Adelaide in 2015, says the game is bigger than the T20 tournament itself.
“If we lose the World Cup we don’t mind, but we don’t want to lose a match to India,” he said.
Indian supporter Vijay Parate, an engineer from the south-eastern suburbs, was confident the support from the Indian diaspora community in Melbourne would be enough to secure a win.
Whether it added to Virat Kohli’s match-winning heroics or not, however, it’s hard to tell.
“Our heart is always with the Indian team,” the 57-year-old says.
“There is so much of support. There is so much of well-wishes and Indian team is the best team,” he says referring to the sea of blue and orange Indian colours.
Echoing his sentiments is fellow Indian supporter, 20-year-old Saahil Gokehale. who made the journey from Pune, India (close to Mumbai) to Melbourne to see the match in person.
“Cricket means a lot to me I follow the IPL in India and for them to win when I’m here would mean a lot.”
Indian fans Atul, Vijay, Kedar and Saahil before the ICC T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan at the MCG.Credit:Chris Hopkins
On one of the lawns outside the MCG there were break-out groups draped in Pakistani flags dancing and singing and among them, microphone in hand and one in a green curly wig was 39 year old Pakistani fan Abbas Abidi.
“We came all the way from the northern side of Australia and my whole family and kids are here to support Pakistan,” he says.
Nearby, and hailing from Brisbane are another Pakistani family, mum and dad, Haroon and Huma are with their four children, Hadi 4, Hisham 8, Hannah 11, and Hamza 15. The two eldest, Hannah and Hamza are both keen young cricket players.
The Khan family before the ICC T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan at the MCGCredit:Chris Hopkins
“I’m a bowler, I’m not the best Batsman,” says Hannah.
“I like Haris Rauf, he’s a good bowler just like me,” adds 8-year-old Hisham.
Before the first ball was bowled, in a more low-key cordoned off bar area are a group of younger Indian supporters who stand for the Indian national anthem. It’s the emotion of India’s captain Rohit Sharma that especially moved 35-year-old Shannelle Sinnarkar from New Zealand.
“The vibe is amazing. It’s an amazing experience to see this all,” she says.
Sinnarkar who moved from New Zealand to Melbourne recently said the match was “great timing” for her recent move. Reflecting on the some of the more serious elements of the India-Pakistan division she points to the similarities between the nations.
“We are all humans and unfortunately politics has divided the countries, India and Pakistan were always one, it’s just a border.”
“It’s just a game,” she said.
