Big-match: Fans gear up for India-Pakistan WC clash

ISLAMABAD: Big screens are going up, TV sales are booming for the biggest grudge match in cricket: Pakistan against India.

From the beaches of Kerala to the snowy Himalayas, from the deserts of Balochistan to the tea plantations of Assam, hundreds of millions of fans will be glued to the action as the two sides clash in the World Cup on Sunday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on Friday to wish his team luck in their opening match at the Adelaide Oval, while Sharif issued a statement bidding his side a success.

"The whole nation is praying for the success of the team and expects the boys to do their level best in this crucial fixture," the statement said.

The time difference with Australia means the match will start around breakfast time in the subcontinent, but that is unlikely to deter legions of supporters for whom a win over the old enemy is almost as important as winning the tournament.

In the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, big screen TVs are selling fast, with many restaurants installing the latest LED screens to lure in punters on Sunday.

Hundreds of thousands of people are living in temporary accommodation around northwest Pakistan after being forced to flee the restive tribal areas on the Afghan border by a major anti-Taliban military operation.

Many of the displaced are hoping their big-hitting hero Shahid Afridi, who hails from Khyber tribal district, will bring them some cheer on Sunday.

Ajab Khan, 60, was forced to abandon his his flatscreen TV when he fled North Waziristan, but said he had used government aid to get a replacement.

"We saved from our relief package money and bought a 17 inch television for the World Cup," Khan told AFP.

"We want Afridi to score sixes against India as it is most thrilling and entertaining part of any match."

In Karachi, Pakistan´s largest city, big screens are going up in posh malls to keep shoppers up to date with the match.


Gambling crackdown

Across the border in India, Mumbai police have launched a crackdown on illegal bookmakers who are set to take a windfall from thousands of gambling-mad punters.

Although gambling is mostly banned in India, betting on cricket matches thrives through networks of underground bookies.

"Yes it is true that bookies have disappeared," Mumbai police spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni, told AFP.

"We are cracking down on illegal cricket betting in Mumbai before the World Cup begins this weekend."

Restaurants are also gearing up for the event, hosting cricket-themed breakfasts and lunches. At the Underdogs Sports Bar and Grill in Delhi, manager Digamber Singh said a whopping 24 televisions were going up to make sure diners did not miss a ball.