Legends, fans and a bus ride to the stadium: A T20 World Cup game experience

A couple of days ahead of a big game, a cricket reporter goes through a fixed plan of action. It usually involves attending press conferences, writing a preview based on your analytical skills, and covering topics such as the nature of the pitch, a fact-based breakdown of the teams, and a look at players with the X-factor. If you are lucky enough, you might bump into former cricketers or get them on a phone call for an exclusive interview that primarily focuses on their thoughts on the game and the star players involved.

Within this context, as a former sports journalist, the days leading up to the India-Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup clash were a welcome change for me, as I was fully engorssed in cricket. I was part of Budweiser’s ‘0.0’s BUD Hotel Experience’, where fans, creators, journalists, and tastemakers were hosted under one roof on the eve of the clash between the arch rivals in Colombo.

The match was overshadowed by politics, with Pakistan taking a U-turn on their boycott stance at the last moment. Apart from the impact of the strained relationship between the two countries on cricket, the on-field rivalry had lost its sheen thanks to its one-sided nature, as the records heavily favoured India.

Amidst this, the programme I was part of attempted to create a party atmosphere around the game by blending entertainment, music, and food. The entrance of the “BUD Hotel” in Colombo had showcases filled with cricket accessories (bats, gloves, and pads) and beer bottles. The theme was apparent. Access to former legends of the game was the standout feature of the event.

Dale Steyn and Aaron Finch during the interaction with media and fans as part of the Budweiser’s ‘0.0’s BUD Hotel Experience’.
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“The core idea behind the programme was to give the power into the hands of fans. It was about offering them a never-before-experienced opportunity,” said Vineet Sharma, Vice President, Marketing and Trade Marketing, AB Inbev India. “We wanted them to have a fun time with the legends of the game, and the cricketers were a sport when we proposed the idea of the event,” he added.

So, greeting the guests for an interactive session were Aaron Finch, Dale Steyn, and Jonty Rhodes. The trio posed for pictures, spoke to media persons, and mingled with fans and influencers. Of course, they faced the common question of the India-Pakistan rivalry, and their collective response was relief that the game was happening. Naturally, they refrained from delving into the political complications surrounding the two teams.

Finch, the World Cup-winning Australian captain, was in a mood to pick his favourites from the tournament. When I indulged him in a rapid fire, he was quick to pick Indian opener Abhishek Sharma as the most dangerous batsman. Sharma has three ducks in the World Cup, but Finch was indicating at his astonishing strike rate of 192.43 in the shortest format of the game.

He took my quirky yet hypothetical question in good spirit as I asked if he could name one player Australia wanted to borrow from the current Indian side. “It’s hard to go past Jasprit Bumrah,” he said. He also told me to watch out for Oliver Peake, the up-and-coming Australian batsman, saying the batsman could potentially be the next superstar from Australia.

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South African pace legend Steyn had words of praise for his team, explaining their impeccable form in the last couple of years. In the last edition, South Africa came agonisingly close to lifting their maiden title, before falling short to India. In this edition, they survived a scare against Afghanistan but are expected to make the final.

“They have been incredibly relentless. What I see in these players is great belief, and every single guy in the team wants to win the World Cup. Even if they are on the verge of losing, they will tell themselves, “not today.” That’s what makes them amazing,” he offered.

Rhodes spoke about the rise in fielding standards in modern-day cricket, picking New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips as the best across teams. A day later, he was proven right as Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka takes a blinder to dismiss Glenn Maxwell.

I ask him if anybody from the South African team reminds him of his intensity and energy. “I don’t think anybody enjoys fielding as much as I ever have,” he said, laughing. “That said, Aiden Markarm takes spectacular catches, and David Miller is great at the boundary,” he added.

Jonty mentioned the underdogs and their inspiring show in the World Cup so far. I saw the Ireland team and fans at the hotel. They were engrossed in Ireland’s rugby game on television at a poolside bar. Even as they are punching above their weight in cricket, their hearts continued to beat for their beloved sport, rugby.

On match day, Finch travelled in the bus I was in. He asked one of them inside the bus to click his picture. A couple of minutes later, his Instagram is updated with a post: “Game day here in Colombo for the India vs Pakistan T20 clash,”.

The former Australian opener walked towards the R Premadasa Stadium, catching the attention of thousands of fans. Some asked him for selfies. Steyn and Jonty joined him. “Amazing,” they say, looking at the sea of blue and pink, as India and Pakistan fans throng the stadium. For a couple of hours, the players soaked in the fanfare as commoners.

For a few days, talking cricket with fans, players, and experts was a more amusing experience than the damp squib that the India-Pakistan clash turned out to be.

Published – February 22, 2026 12:54 pm IST