Nothing is certain in life, wrote Benjamin Franklin, except death and taxes. He was wrong. There is one other certainty in life, and that is a Pakistan-India match at an ICC tournament.

This truism was close to being debunked this year, but the bountiful stars aligned to deliver us a contest that is — to borrow a phrase from a leading Chinese car-maker — beyond your dreams.

Suddenly, the match is bigger than ever and a focal point of international attention. Pakistan is resurgent on the field; the progression in performance is clear.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board has created a mini-political earthquake off the back of the ‘un-boycott’, as it were. The question is whether Pakistan can back up its political game on the cricket field.

Read more here.