ICC World Twenty 20: From the ropes

KOLKATA: 

 Legendary gesture
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has planned big for the India-Pak match. For starters, they would be honouring eight stalwarts of the game on either side of the border just before play starts. From Pakistan, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Intikhab Alam and current team coach Waqar Younis would be presented mementoes of achievement. Imran Khan will be giving some tips to Pakistan team to how to deal with the pressure before the match. On the Indian side, the chosen four are Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev and Virendra Sehwag. Sehwag replaces Rahul Dravid who expressed his inability to attend.
BigB's anthem moment
National anthems of playing teams are routine before play in all World Cup tournaments but for this high octane match, it will be different. A legend no less than Amitabh Bachchan would be singing the anthem live at the Eden Gardens today before 60000 fans and two teams that would be declaring war after the handshakes in the middle. Bachchan confirmed this in a tweet saying he had accepted the offer to sing by CAB. Not that Pakistan would be ignored. Their lead singer Shafaqat Amanat Ali Khan would be doing the honours for their flag.
Most guarded match
This one will be the most guarded match of the world — 4000 cops, nine watch towers, 11 sand bunkers, three quick response teams (QRTs) and five Police Assistance Booths at strategic locations being only the known story. The hidden one:  The entire city being sanitised of bad elements, air safety measures and a huge team of faceless sleuths in the stands to detect and eject trouble. With Dharamsala Chief Minister failing to provide such an extensive blanket, Kolkata stepped in with its security apparatus without a worry.
Source: The Pioneer, 19 March, 2016

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