In an era gone by, an India-Pakistan faceoff was unquestionably the marquee clash of any global or continental cricket tournament. It perhaps still is, but today, it seems to be driven more by market forces and commercial considerations than just cricketing merit.

Matches between the neighbours invariably whip up emotions, heightened by the changed geo-political dynamics post Pahalgam and April 22. For the cricketers themselves, it is perhaps a decidedly unfair burden to carry, but that’s how it has been and that’s how it will be.