IND vs PAK, World Cup 2023: Hardik Pandya and the National Anthem in Ahmedabad - A Smile speaking Billion Words!

India are taking on arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad today.

After a gap of almost 11 years, India and Pakistan are up against each other on the Indian soil, and the spectacle is massive. At the Narendra Modi Stadium today, the crowd-craziness was sublime, and there are many dignitaries and people present for this gigantic class between these two arch rivals.

Just before the start of the play, the national anthem of both teams was quite emotional as well, after the Pakistan national anthem, the Indian national anthem, Jana Gana Mana started. And the whole stadium was in unison, singing the song.

The 'Jaya He, Jaya He' was reverberating at the stadium and then the camera panned to Hardik Pandya, and his expression has caught the eye.

Representing your country is always special. And if you are an Indian playing against Pakistan in a World Cup match at your home country, and especially at your home stadium, is something that you cannot fathom. And exactly it happened to Hardik Pandya.

The Baroda-born player was playing at his home state. And as the national anthem was being played, he looked a complete saturated person, like someone who has got his moksha.

Hardik was captured with his eyes closed, face upwards and his lips moving with the lyrics, and that face had a smile in it. A smile, which depicts a million words. As the Indian all-rounder was soaking in the atmosphere, it is unfathomable to even imagine how he was feeling! But we can at least say that it was an immensely satisfying and soothing moment to watch him.

In this country of billions, only 15 lucky people are in the Indian team, and 11 of them are playing in this gigantic match. So you can imagine the emotions, the roller coaster of many flashbacks which completely goes through like a movie reel in your mind. Perhaps Hardik was floating there and trying to connect the dots.

Perhaps there were many in the stadium who would have lived the moment like they would never live ever again. More than hundred thousand people at a gigantic stadium, the biggest spectacle of the game that everyone breathes and you are playing against Pakistan! And then when the national anthem plays, it is just bound to be, bound to create a plethora of emotions. And it was exactly the same.