A lopsided India vs Pakistan Asia Cup contest in the offing

The tie comes amid political tension, but India are way better going into this match

- Somshuvra laha

Air raid sirens and blackouts, shelled out borders and drones being knocked out of the sky by missiles screeching from batteries parked in city neighbour-hoods — those evenings weren't that long agoas they now feel.

The IPL had to be paused, teams disbanded and foreigners bundled into minivans and then on to chartered flights, uncertain of resumption. War paused cricket that day, but it’s also true that there is no bigger proxy of our geopolitical reality than cricket.

To thatend, it's strange how the buildup to this India-Pakistan match at the T20 Asia Cup on Sunday has been devoid of the usual, tension-gripping hype. It’s never ‘just another match to the players but at ground zero, it’s always headier and unnerving. This time though, it feels a little different, a bitmore guarded. Bragging points up for grabs of course, but nothing too pointed, personal or political, a line everyone seemed to be toeing in the buildup.