The cricket world held its breath for one week when Pakistan threatened to boycott its T20 World Cup group stage fixture against India.

But with back-channel talks having broken the deadlock between the stakeholders, on Sunday evening at the R. Pre­madasa Stadium, it will exhale in one collective roar.

Pakistan versus India in a T20 World Cup is not merely a match; it is the fixture that keeps the sport’s heartbeat strong. Whatever the result, the game will remind millions why they fell in love with cricket in the first place.

Off the field, the political backdrop is impossible to ignore. Only days ago Pakistan had threatened to boycott the contest in solidarity with Bangladesh after the latter’s exclusion from the tournament.

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