Cheerleader’s prediction, origin of Fire and Ice, and ‘Dude Dube’

By K.R. Nayar
From Dubai International Stadium

It’s great fun to watch an India-Pakistan match after talking to popular cheerleaders from both teams. They ignite excitement with their positive remarks about their team’s chances. When this reporter met India’s famous Dhoni fan Ram Babu near the entrance to the stadium, he predicted that the India-Pakistan match would once again be a one-sided affair with India winning easily. It was also great to take a picture of Pakistan’s cheerleader with the long hat Shahbaz Shah and Babu greeting each other before the match. Interestingly, they expressed no animosity and even shook hands!

India's Dhoni fan Ram Babu and Pakistan's long hat cheerleader Shahbaz Shah greet each other. Photo by K.R. Nayar  

Yadav’s fire and ice remark

Responding to this reporter’s query to Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav about his opening pair Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill’s fireworks, the phrase he used was special. When he was asked what his message was to the pair and about the secret behind this combination that virtually hit every ball with ease, he first complimented the wicket and then the pair.

India's Dhoni fan Ram Babu enters the stadium. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

“I think when we played here last on the 14th (September), the wicket was a bit different. Today the wicket was even better from the batting point of view. It stayed the same till 40 overs. But the manner in which both of them bat, it is like a fire-and-ice combination. They complement each other really well, and that is what I want to see—if someone is batting really brilliantly, the other one can take a back seat, just rotate the strike, and thus maintain the flow. They both batted beautifully, as it was very much required to have a very good start, and they gave just that.”

Pakistan's cheerleader Shahbaz Shah poses with his long hat. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Why it is better to avoid provoking Abhishek Sharma

From where did Yadav get the term Fire and Ice? It is from a famous poem by the American poet Robert Frost. For him, fire symbolises desire and ice symbolises hate—both destructive emotions. The manner in which these openers thrashed the Pakistan bowling was indeed destructive. 

Abhishek Sharma goes for one of his big hits. Photo: ACC

To further heat up the fire, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf and Sharma had a heated exchange of words in the middle. It should be noted that both Sharma and Gill were groomed by Yuvraj Singh in Mohali, their hometown. Fans will remember Singh had hit six sixes in a single over against England’s Stuart Broad at the 2007 T20 World Cup after a heated exchange with English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff.

Fear of lesser ticket sales for India-Pakistan clashes

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s remark that India-Pakistan clashes are no longer a rivalry is bound to hurt ticket sales, even if they meet in the final or in any future matches. He has stated that "when the results are 7-all or 8-7, then it is a rivalry; but when the stats show 13-0 or 10-1, one should not call it a rivalry." This is the first tournament in which India-Pakistan match tickets were available even on the day of the match. There was a time when tickets for a clash between these two countries used to be sold in black for as much as ten times the actual cost of the ticket.

The opening pair of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma that destroyed Pakistan's bowling attack. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

‘Dude’ Dube and nails with the Indian flag

Sarcasm reached its peak with fans having a field day. When Pakistan opener Saim Ayub, after three consecutive ducks in this tournament, got off the mark in his fourth match with a four, an Indian in the press box said that Ayub should take this match ball as a souvenir. A Pakistani, responding to a spooned shot from Ayub falling behind the bowler Varun Chakaravarthy, said that Indian fielders are dropping catches coming straight to them—so how can they take catches falling behind them? 

Shivam Dube being congratulated by his teammates for providing the breakthrough. Photo: ACC

When Shivam Dube took two quick wickets, a fan waved a small but hastily written banner: “Dude Dube we love you.” A female Indian supporter painted the Indian flag on all her nails and sat smiling, showing them off. She managed to get the attention of the television cameraman—but would she have done the same if the match had had a nail-biting finish?

Yorker ka Sultan and Sultan of Swing

Wasim Akram, as usual, mingled with journalists in the press box during his break from commentary. While he was here, a banner flashed addressing Bumrah as ‘Yorker Ka Sultan’. One was reminded of the days when Akram made batters fear his swing that tested Indian batters’ skills and earned him the title ‘Sultan of Swing’. He complimented Abhishek Sharma, stating that he is not a slogger but a genuine batter.