Is India vs Pakistan on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch ICC Cricket World Cup online
India take on Pakistan in the most highly anticipated match of the ICC Cricket World Cup round-robin group stage on Saturday 8 October at the 134,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
There are few bigger rivalries in the world of sport than between the two cricketing nations, who due to political tensions have not played the other since 2012 outside of major ICC events. The game itself is hailed as having “a billion eyes” on the action, due to the populations of both countries and the popularity of the sport.
India have won their first two matches - against Australia and Afghanistan - comfortably, with Rohit Sharma smashing a number of records in the latter as the host nation laid down a marker at the tournament. Pakistan came back to beat Sri Lanka in a high-scoring clash against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, and the game against India will be their second match.
The tournament has not been without its difficulties for Pakistan, who had to wait for their visas, causing a pre-match bonding trip to the United Arab Emirates to be cancelled, but since their arrival, captain Babar Azam spoke warmly of the welcome from India.
Here’s everything you need to know about the fixture:
When is India vs Pakistan?
The host nation take on Pakistan on Saturday 14 October at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with the match starting at 9.30 am BST (2 pm local time).
Where can I watch it?
India vs Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket, with coverage starting from 9 am.
For those in India, Star Sports will be showing the match in five different languages on TV.
The game can also be streamed online on the Disney+Hotstar app or website.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
Team news
The biggest concern leading up to the match is over Indian opener Shubman Gill, who has missed the opening two matches reportedly with dengue fever. But he has reached Ahmedabad and has taken part in training ahead of the match.
The 24-year-old was taken to a hospital in Chennai for treatment but was eventually discharged after his health improved, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Wednesday that Gill was “fine”, but it was not clear whether he would take part in training on Thursday.
Predicted line-ups
India XI: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf
Odds
India 5/12
Pakistan 9/5
Get the latest Cricket World Cup odds here.
Prediction
The crowd will make their voices known and it will be a tough contest due to the high-stakes nature for both teams, but with the home advantage, India will just edge it.
