India vs Pakistan: Fans perform special prayers, 'havan' for India's victory

Varanasi/Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 4 (ANI): Special prayers are being offered in Varanasi and Gorakhpur ahead of the much anticipated India-Pakistan Champions Trophy clash to be played today at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fans in Varanasi perform &#39;havan&#39; ahead of India-Pakistan match today, offer prayers for India&#39;s victory <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash">#INDvPAK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChampionsTrophy2017?src=hash">#ChampionsTrophy2017</a> <a href="https://t.co/NIv9hGwZXe">pic.twitter.com/NIv9hGwZXe</a></p>&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/871201470099603458">June 4, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fans across the country offer prayers for India&#39;s victory in match against Pakistan;people in Gorakhpur perform &#39;havan&#39; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChampionsTrophy2017?src=hash">#ChampionsTrophy2017</a> <a href="https://t.co/PZ2ZbfTDTi">pic.twitter.com/PZ2ZbfTDTi</a></p>&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/871231003561414657">June 4, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Fans were seen shouting "Jeetega Bhai Jeetega, India Jeetega" in both the holy city. Meanwhile, in Gorakphur, fans also performed Havan for India's victory in the much-awaited clash between the two arch-rivals. "We are performing this havan because we want India to defeat Pakistan in today's match," said one of the cricket fans. Cricket in India has always entertained the fans, but the energy increases rampantly when the opponent is Pakistan. While bilateral cricketing ties between the two countries have been suspended for all means and purposes, Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel had said that the government won't have a say in India playing Pakistan in a multilateral tournament overseas such as the ICC Champions Trophy. While Pakistan holds a 2-1 lead over their fierce rivals in the Champions Trophy, it is India who have won 10 out of the 11 contests at the World Cup and World T20 tournaments between the two sides. In recent times, however, the rivalry between the two cricketing giants has been one sided with India enjoying the lion's share of positive results. Both Virat Kohli and Sarfraz Ahmed have stated that they would like to treat this high octane match as just another game of cricket but when it come to India-Pakistan clash, we all know it's not just any 'other game'. (ANI)