Asia Cup is cricket’s Copa America, India-Pakistan is El Clasico
The writer Venkata Krishna B is currently in Pallekele to cover Asia Cup 2023
Thick, dark and fast moving clouds over from the Indian Ocean obscure the bird’s eye-view of Colombo. The Island nation—its topography resembling the drop of a tear—is a different country these days. The long civil war has ended, though some scars might remain, last year’s economic crisis has eased up. You don’t spot people queuing up outside fuel stations or grocery shops; there is no chaos like when Australia landed on these shores last year.
Instead, the Bandaranaike International Airport is buzzing with Europeans and Southeast Asians, an encouraging sight for a tourism-dependent economy. Out on the streets, honks are nonexistent, traffic signals are rare, there is an un-subcontinent discipline. Poya, the country’s biggest festival, has hit the final stretch and will culminate on Wednesday. The usual flair and colour you associate with the country is missing, even in the three-and-half drive from Colombo to Pallekele – where the Sri Lanka leg of Asia Cup begins on Thursday.
Perhaps the rain is to blame; it has been relentless and may continue to dominate conversations in the coming two weeks. Yet, much like the tumultuous short flight across the Palk Strait, the Asia Cup has arrived here, bearing the weight of significant turbulence it endured in the past half-year. At one juncture, the tournament appeared to be in jeopardy due to the tensions between the cricket boards of India and Pakistan.
Furthermore, the tournament couldn't bear the loss of these two nations, which are the very essence of its appeal, and have contributed significantly to its legendary status. Since its establishment in 1984, the competition has grown from three to four and eventually to six participating teams, yet it still retains a resemblance to the Copa America. Much like how the continental football tournament in the Americas revolves around Brazil and Argentina, the Asia Cup has perpetually centered on India and Pakistan. It's a spectacle defined by their passionate fans, overflowing emotions, and the fervor of billions of cricket enthusiasts.
It is the contest that gives the tournament shine and glitter, where the two teams are invariably pooled in the same group just to ensure there are at least two confrontations. It is the contest that makes broadcasters shell out huge sums. It is a contest that lights up the tournament.
With matches between these two neighbours restricted to only ICC events and Asia Cup, the first of a minimum three games is scheduled for Saturday. It could be four or five if both teams go the distance here and in the World Cup. As India and Pakistan sit on the cusp of potentially five matches in three months, the setting is similar to two other storied football rivals– Barcelona and Real Madrid—in 2011. Four El Clasicos in 18 days brought the already revered rivalry to its edge. It resulted in two managers – Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho – showing their uglier side.
The only force that could spoil the party for sub-continent fans is the weather, as the monsoon has come alive in Pallekele after a brief lull. Situated on the hilly terrains, it witnessed heavy rains right through Tuesday evening and the forecast doesn’t sound encouraging either. It is the last thing both the teams would have hoped for.
With the looming presence of the World Cup on the horizon, the Asia Cup unquestionably holds significant importance for these two cricket powerhouses, both of which are expected to excel in the upcoming premier tournament. Just as in the El Clasico, there are no clear favorites or underdogs in this context. Pakistan enters the fray for the Asia Cup opener in Multan against Nepal as the top-ranked team in the world, boasting on paper the most well-rounded and balanced attack.
