India and Pakistan will meet at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for their third World Cup match on Saturday. As the case always is, the excitement among Indian and Pakistani fans has already peaked ahead of the clash between the renowned arch-rivals of cricket. While the buzz is only natural, there are reports of a special pre-match musical ceremony to celebrate the event.
![India vs Pakistan world cup match](https://img.jagranjosh.com/images/2023/October/9102023/india-vs-pakistan-head-to-head.jpg)
According to a report by India Today, BCCI is planning a special musical ceremony ahead of the first India-Pakistan World Cup 2023 clash. The match could also witness a host of special Golden ticket-holders, including Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rajnikanth. Additionally, several Pakistani media outlets and Pakistan Cricket Board officials are expected to attend the match. Apart from this, there is also word about Arijit Singh’s musical performance.
![India vs Pakistan world cup match special musical ceremony](https://feeds.abplive.com/onecms/images/uploaded-images/2022/11/27/193181191cbd95248308bdbbb3fae1eb1669555727236614_original.jpg?impolicy=abp_cdn&imwidth=720)
Now, there was no World Cup opening ceremony this year. Additionally, it is worth noting that this match between India and Pakistan is nothing extraordinary. It is part of a routine set of matches in the group stage wherein every team will play every other team in the World Cup, after which the top 4 teams will qualify to enter the knockout stage.
As the report about a special ceremony broke in the media, fans took to social media to express their displeasure. The popular contention is that it is not only disrespectful to other teams in the tournament but also the politics behind this is suspicious and hyper-capitalistic.
If England or Australia did anything like this, we’d be hearing r@cist and discrimination chants https://t.co/1s1Vc40dJU
— sophie (@sophiesalterego) October 11, 2023
BCCI is a joke https://t.co/TDKjUMPEc0
— कुशल मेहरा (@kushal_mehra) October 11, 2023
Should have been an opening ceremony, it's world cup not India-Pakistan series ?
— Kuldeep Lather (@Kullthegreat) October 11, 2023
BCCI is lost completely https://t.co/8idRq8mtU9
The most sensible thing which BCCI should do now is to cancel special ceremony on 14th and rather do it in semis and final.
— Jaammii.. (@Jaammiing) October 11, 2023
Special ceremony before India Pakistan World Cup match in Narendra Modi stadium?
— EngiNerd. (@mainbhiengineer) October 11, 2023
BCCI is giving all the special treatment and welcome to Pakistan, but if you praise even a single Pakistani players you will be called traitor by supporters. https://t.co/ruknz3T1WS
If you have tickets for the Arijit Singh concert on 14 Oct, you get to see the India-Pak World Cup cricket match as added bonus.https://t.co/YDIxQho6Gd
— Ajit Karnik (@karnikajit) October 12, 2023
Not sure if World Cup or India Pakistan series !!
— BeardedDragon (@yashasva) October 11, 2023
Treatment should have been given equally to other teams as well
This is utter bias from BCCI
Leaving no stone unturned to generate money from every possible thing
This #WorldCup2023 will be known for wrong reasons only https://t.co/8kdgpnmk18
A special ceremony for a match that is not exclusively important for the tournament does appear to be setting a wrong precedent.
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