Endgame today

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Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi (above) with Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni at a press conference in Mohali. PHOTO: PTI

A chance moment summed it all up beautifully.
For all the sound and fury raging around them — airtight security, sniffer dogs and bomb disposal units, anti-aircraft missile batteries and diplomatic initiatives involving

two frequently hostile neighbours — it was a chance meeting between the captains of India and Pakistan that set the tone for a nerve-jangling World Cup semi-final here on Wednesday
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shahid Afridi crossed each other briefly at the pre-match media interaction, and the camaraderie between the two was evident in a warm handshake and a smile.
It put in perspective the raging storm around the heads of the two teams — and brought into sharp focus how both sides have strived to create a semblance of normality. Here were two young men carrying the weight of the mostly unreasonable expectations of their countries, who still had time to share a grin at the madness surrounding them.
As much as the cricket that lies in store for the morrow, a common threat that runs between the teams is how they have managed to insulate themselves from the hype, hoopla and frenzy of the build-up to this match.
“The most important thing is how you prepared yourself, irrespective of what is happening around you,” said Dhoni. “And that is what we have been doing in the past few days. Not watching television has been a big part of it.”
Imagine living in a glass room with the spotlight unwaveringly focused on your every action and word — and then go out and win every match you play in by massive margins. How do 22 mostly young men cope with the expectations and pressure such situations create?
As always, Dhoni had a take on the matter. “It depends on what you actually mean by hype — the hype created by the media, the sponsors. We are not getting involved and that is what is important. You need to be aware of what we are expected to do and we are expected to play good cricket on the field. All these things have been part of Indian cricket for a long time.”
Added Afridi, “The main thing is if you know how to handle the pressure, you don’t need to panic in it. We have played above our expectations for this competition. So we are very confident and enjoying our cricket.”
Still, that does not really answer the question of how the team management creates the sort of vacuum needed to keep the many kinds of pressure at bay. Reflecting the team think tank’s approach on how to take a severe stress scenario like the present one, Afridi said, “Whatever the result, I will say that this is a huge occasion for us, that we came to India to play this. We’ve always wanted to come to India to play cricket here, to enjoy it because people here want to see us play, people there (in Pakistan) want to see India play,” adding, “We are an emotional people, both countries are very emotional.”
And then there is the matter of keeping the result of this match in perspective. “Somebody has to lose the game,” Dhoni pointed out. “When you talk about the hype, pressure etc., one thing is sure: whether you are thinking about it or not thinking about it, I don’t think it really helps you perform,” he said. “So what is not helping you perform needs to be kept away. These are the vital areas where we have been focusing so far and not thinking about all the other things that are going on around the cricket because I don’t think they will help us in any way to perform on the field.”