A mountain rivulet with clear water reflecting bright sunshine gurgled beneath the narrow bridge and the cab driver quipped: “Once Adam Gilchrist hit a six in an IPL game and the ball landed into this stream.” The nearby HPCA Stadium always offers enough interplay between nature and sport with the mighty Himalayas being a permanent backdrop.
Like the Galle Stadium fringed by the sea in Sri Lanka, Dharamshala’s cricketing outpost is another picture postcard venue. Despite the forecast for rains, this hilly terrain offering stunning vistas and swirling cold air should hopefully warm up on Sunday when India takes on New Zealand in a World Cup game. The rivals have clambered up these steep heights with four consecutive triumphs under their belts.
Having scuppered India’s World Cup dreams with a semifinal win at Manchester in the 2019 edition, New Zealand is a unit that the Men in Blue would be wary about. Yet, the host holds an edge even if the weather patterns would suit the visitors with their affinity for dipping temperatures. India will miss its injured all-rounder Hardik Pandya forcing one change in the playing eleven and it remains to be seen if more replacements are in the offing.
