I used to love the game of cricket (clearly the better version of baseball {i kid, i kid}) back in the day. I remember we used to all huddle around the little 21″ television set and watch cricket matches – chores,dinner, studies and work were all secondary. Now while all cricket matches have their own levels of intensity, there is none like that of one between India and Pakistan.

You see, India and Pakistan have a lot of history going way back . They are two great nations separated at inception by political wrangling and religion but have more in common than a pair of conjoined twins. Even the biggest things that occupy mind-share are similar: politics and cricket. When these two nations butt heads together in cricket, there is so much more at stake than just a game – there is the pride of scores of people hanging in the balance. When they get together no really gives a sh*t about the trophy, man of the match or how many records Sachin Tendulkar managed to break yet again. It about who comes out the other end a winner – everything else is just background noise.

13 years ago, in 1998, India and Pakistan got together on the big stage in quite similar a way like they are about to in a few hours today. I remember I had an exam the next day and even though I tried a whole lot of begging, I wasn’t allowed within 5 feet of the television (even though it was switched off). However, there was so much going on in the match and the intensity and excitement was so much that my curfew was lifted a few moments after it was instated. So much for exams and studying – where I’m from, cricket came before all else. That was the most intense match I have ever seen: great atmosphere, great nail bitting finish.

Like I said before I hardly watch cricket anymore but there is so much excitement and intensity for this match that I am coming out of retirement just for one more match (who cares about the final with Sri Lanka anyways?THIS IS the mothergame)The last time I did this properly there were about 200 of us in a big hall yelling, pounding the tables and screaming cheers and even though the outcome wasn’t favorable we enjoyed the bloody hell out of it.

I’m sure Indians everywhere are hoping their team can hand deliver a royal trashing the likes of which they have not seen in recent times. At the very least I’m sure they are hoping for a repeat of that day from 13 years ago and I, for one, am siding with them today. No matter how this game turns out in the end, its sure to be an amazing time so if you have friends from either nation grab a hold of them and go watch this one even if you don’t know the game or its rules. Forget the finals, this is the mothergame!