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Majestic Narendra Modi stadium, Kohli’s necklace, and a memorable book launch

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By K.R. Nayar From Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad. The entrance to the Narendra Modi Stadium is majestic, as majestic as the stadium itself. When dressed in T20 World Cup colours, it looked spectacular. When at the stadium, one feels it is a venue where cricket roars the loudest. Nearly 100,000 people can comfortably watch the match. It is a venue that inspires Indians because on the walls at the entrance to the press conference room are huge images of India’s first T20 World Cup triumph in 2007 and the 50-over World Cup triumph in 2011. It is also a venue that makes the people of Ahmedabad proud, as they have the biggest cricket stadium in the world. The majestic entrance to the Narendra Modi stadium dressed in World Cup colours. Photo by K.R. Nayar Typing with the roar of the crowd At the pre-match press conference, Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards candidly remarked that it is a massive opportunity to play at the biggest stadium. Almost every team in the world feels the s...
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Vociferous Indian fans in a “Silent” Airport, and disappointed Pakistan fans

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By K.R. Nayar From Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad. It is really hard for a losing team, especially if it happens to be Pakistan, and that too against India. The Pakistan fans and their former cricketers are tearing the team to pieces, some even urging the senior players to quit cricket. The cab driver who took me to Colombo airport is hoping for an India-Sri Lanka final. This, I believe, is what most Sri Lankans too want.  My flight back to Ahmedabad via Chennai was an early one and I was at the airport by 6 am. There were many Indian fans too taking the same flight. Some were singing A. R. Rahman songs Jai Ho and Vande Mataram. Pakistan’s patriotic song Dil Dil Pakistan was rarely heard at the stadium. It was more of sadness that filled Pakistan’s fans’ hearts, minds, and souls. Watching happy and sad fans After the India-Pakistan match, it was a sea of mixed emotions among the fans. Cricket, in its cruel beauty, draws a line between agony and ecstasy. Paki...
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Is the India–Pakistan contest turning into a fading rivalry?

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By K.R. Nayar From R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo. India’s 61-run win over Pakistan at the Premadasa Stadium was nothing but a familiar script. This time it was louder, too bold, and ruthless. Once upon a time, India–Pakistan clashes were heart-racing and nail-biting. If this is the trend, very soon cricket fans in Pakistan will have to tell their coming generation that there was a time when their team used to give India a strong fight, but that was very long ago. The suspense of an India-Pakistan match has already started to fade. However, fans are still eager to watch, hoping for a twist leading to an intense battle. Unfortunately, that has not been happening in the last few years. Pakistan came in with hope. But India sent them back with a reminder that they are too strong for them. When one team keeps getting it right and the other is searching for answers, the contest starts losing its bite. In the chapter of rivalry between the two teams, one team is writing history; t...
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Long live cricket, long live India–Pakistan clashes

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By K.R. Nayar From R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo. In Sri Lanka, every welcome carries a blessing. The word ‘Ayubowan’ in Sinhalese is not just a greeting — it is a wish, “may you live long.” On an India-Pakistan match day, for the fans, it could well be “May cricket live long and India-Pakistan matches keep happening.” Since Tamil is also a popular language here, and many Sri Lankans are fluent in this language, this makes quite a few journalists feel at home.  The Premadasa Stadium dressed in world cup colours. Photo by K.R. Nayar   Sri Lankans and the grace of good manners There is something deeply calming about Sri Lanka’s cricketing culture. Even when the tension of an India–Pakistan clash crackles in the air, the people here manage to soften its edges. Sri Lanka, as hosts, don’t just organise — they embrace. Cricketers, officials, volunteers — all carry an easy warmth. It reflects in their smiles, in their patience, and in their humility. The greats of Sri La...
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Beyond rivalry: My friendship with Pakistan journalist Shahid Hashmi

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By K.R. Nayar From R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo. For nearly three decades, we have travelled the world covering cricket and meeting each other at iconic venues across continents. Shahid Akhtar Hashmi from Pakistan, simply known as Shahid Hashmi, is more than a journalist friend. He writes for Agence France-Presse (AFP), speaks on ARY News Television, and has also written for Indian newspapers. Since India-Pakistan matches offer a feast of stories, our job has always been to savour the joy of writing them. With Shahid Hashmi at the R. Premadasa Stadium press box   .  The animosity between the two nations and the fierce rivalry both on and off the field has never affected our relationship because we wrote only about cricket and nothing else. Whenever our respective team has either won or lost, we’ve congratulated or consoled each other. The noise of politics never entered our space. Those late-night rides back to the hotel after an India-Pakistan clash remain unforgettable...
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Into the cauldron of cricket’s fiercest pressure — in beautiful Sri Lanka

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By K.R. Nayar From R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo. It was special to arrive in the land of Sangakkara, Jayawardene and Muralitharan. But sentiment quickly gave way to intensity—the India–Pakistan showdown has turned the atmosphere into a cauldron. Even without being a player, one can feel the intense pressure. Imagine what it must be for the players. Shocking results like Zimbabwe beating Australia makes Sunday’s India-Pakistan even more un- predictable.  In a contest like this, reputation counts for little and statistics are mere decoration. Matches of this magnitude are decided by those who can silence the noise and execute under pressure.  The Ministry of Crab advert at the Colombo airport  Sangakkara and Jayawardene’s Ministry of Crab The first striking image on arrival in Colombo is a massive billboard of the famed Ministry of Crab, a restaurant owned by Sangakkara and Jayawardene. Like their partnership in cricket, they have run this joint successfully for ne...
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Pandya’s brutality, Kishan’s elegance, and the colourful food coupons

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By K.R. Nayar From Arun Jaitley Stadium Delhi. Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan turned Thursday evening at the Arun Jaitley Stadium into a festival of fearless stroke play. They gifted India a 93-run win. Kishan’s batting was like that of a man who was set free to go out and enjoy hitting freely. It was a treat to watch his footwork and the elegant swing of his bat that makes the ball slice through the gap on its way to the boundary. When he drove on the up, the ball sped across the turf as if pulled by an invisible string. He executed his pull not with brute force alone but with exquisite timing. What makes Kishan special is his audacity. He rules over the bowlers. His 61 off 24 balls set the stage for India’s victory. He got many hoping that India might break the record for the highest total.  Pandya, the street fighter Pandya walked in to the field with a swagger. He his aware of his role as a finisher, and he finished off Namibia’s hopes of restricting India to a total...
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