The World Cup fever is palpable in the city that boasts the largest cricket stadium in the World Cup. From the time one touches down at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the buzz is evident, and it has everything to do with the fact that the Narendra Modi Stadium will on Saturday stage the India-Pakistan contest, the final before the actual final at any World Cup over the last two decades and more.

No bilateral ties since 2013

There is an added sense of anticipation these days because beyond continental and global events, the teams don’t face each other. Their last bilateral showdown was in India in January 2013; since then, their clashes have been restricted to the Asia Cup and the World Cup. Against that backdrop, it’s hardly surprising that tickets have sold like hot cakes, that hotels are running to capacity despite prices jacked up to 10 times their original rates, and even hospitals are doubling up as hotels with the enterprising choosing the medical route to guarantee accommodation.