Web buzz across the border

The web, expectedly, is abuzz in eager anticipation of the India- Pakistan semi final match at Mohali on Wednesday. Blogs, updates, chats and tweets are flowing at the rate of a hundred a second. Though many in the country that will host the match are making their opinions known, people across the border are leaving no expression undisclosed either.

Most of Pakistan's news agencies have begun discussions on the match that will decide which of the two teams from the subcontinent will make it to the finals. Though the fervour and jingoistic nationalism like in the past decades is absent, the true spirit of cricket is flowing free in Pakistan as it is in India. So while most expect Pakistan to come out on top considering the form of their bowlers, others  expect a tight finish but say they pray it eventually turns in favour of Shahid Afridi's men.

Interestingly, some are also suggesting the idea of a unified team that could have ravaged any opposition going by their current crop of players in both the sides. "Zaheer and Gul with the ball; Afridi and Yuvraj as all-rounders and Sachin to open the batting.  But one team will have to go down with all its heroes...sigh," was a comment on a website owned by a local news agency.

Moderators though seem to be doing overtime on websites as no foul-worded comment was found. This is in sharp contrast to what used to concur in social networking sites earlier, specifically on anti-India and anti-Pakistan pages. What is of interest as well is the fact that many comments on web-sites like that of Dawn and Daily Jang have comments from users who claim to be Indians. Their comments however vary from emphasising India's strength to wishes for Dhoni's men.

In any case, the transition of cross-border relations seem to have changed, at least on the web and at least before the game that will set pulses racing, one side of the border or the other.