18,000 Indians, 12,000 Pakistanis, and 2,000 SL police: Scale of India-Pak showdown

Tens of thousands of Indian and Pakistani fans have converged on Colombo for the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash, turning the city into a fortress with massive security deployment. Beyond politics and critique, the match has energised local livelihoods, packed the stadium to capacity and reaffirmed why this rivalry remains cricket’s most powerful spectacle.