ICC World Cup 2023, IND vs PAK: National anthem, a big goosebumps moment!

India players sing the national anthem prior to the match against Pakistan in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

The rendering of the national anthem before a big international sporting event is always an emotional moment for athletes and spectators alike. And, if the strength of that audience is over a lakh, the emotional quotient is multiplied manifold. That's exactly what happened just before the start of the India v Pakistan clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday. The one lakh-plus spectators sang the "Jana Gana Mana" in unison, creating an intense goosebumps moment that reached a crescendo with the final call of "Jaya he" in the end and a loud cheer thereafter.

Also Read: ICC World Cup 2023, IND vs PAK: They planned and it showed

Singer Arijit Singh performs before India's match against Pakistan on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Stage fright? It's gone in 6 minutes!

With the pre-match entertainment show stretching a little beyond 1pm and the toss scheduled at 1:30pm, one wondered what would happen to the stage that had been erected in the middle of the ground. Enter an army of around 100 young men dressed in full black, and poof, the stage literally disappeared in minutes! The show ended at 1:15pm after which it took exactly six minutes, as the youngsters sprinted on and off the field, each time taking with them a dismantled piece of the stage until all of it had been removed. All done well in time before Rohit Sharma, Babar Azam and Ravi Shastri stepped in for the toss at 1:31pm.