Even the sick Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray has shown his keen interest in the match between the two neighboring countries.

He sarcastically stated in an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Tuesday that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should have also invited and sent semi-final tickets to the 26/11 terror attack suspect Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab and the man believed to be involved in the attack on the Indian parliament, Guru Afzal.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday appealed to Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil to wrap up House business before 2 p.m. so that the legislators could go home and watch the match.

This request did not find favor with state Parliamentary Minister Harshavardan Patil, who was of the opinion that House business was more important than a cricket match. However, if the legislators wanted to watch the match, they could advance House business to the early hours of the morning and finish for the day by mid afternoon, Patil said.

There were rumors in Pune and Mumbai that the state government may declare a half-day holiday on Wednesday so that government employees could go home and enjoy the cricket match. However, there was no confirmation on this from the government on Tuesday afternoon.

Some private companies had declared a holiday so employees could watch the match, while others have declared half-day holidays. Workers have also called in sick to watch the match.

Maharashtra police have appealed to citizens to behave during the match. The police force has also been put on state of high alert to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

There were mixed opinions about the outcome of the match. Avid cricket fan and general manager of a multinational company in Pune Ganesh Bhambhurkar said that with the blend of talented and experienced cricketers, the Indian team would defeat Pakistan easily.

Dr. Shivaji Shinde, a government medical officer, was excited that the two rivals would clash in the semi final and was optimistic that if Indian cricket great Sachin Tendulkar shines, India would win the match.

Ramesh Kulkarni, a former Ranji Trophy player from Mumbai, said India should not be overconfident of winning the match. “Pakistan is an equally strong team and has all the skills to strike a blow to India. We should not underestimate our rivals,” he said.

Sudam Kamathe, a retired government official in Pune, said that games could not be won through emotions, adding that it would be the better team that would win the match. Seema Takawale, a national swimmer, said: “Pakistan can turn the tables on India. If the boom boom Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi goes bang with the bat and ball, Kamran and Umar Akmal play well, and their pace bowling attack led by Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul cause early damage, then Pakistan will win the match. The Pakistani team has many all-rounders and the best spin attack,” she said.

A senior police officer in Mumbai said that cricket fever has risen to such a high level that streets would be deserted, shopping complexes would have few or no shoppers and vegetable and fruit stalls would also have no customers. He added vegetables and fruits would be cheaper that day though.

At the Hazrat Shahanoor shrine in Aurangabad, cricket lovers laid a green cloth and led a prayer for the Indian team’s victory. Baba Qureshi and Iqbal Ansari who were at the shrine said that they prayed the Indian team would muster a large total of runs against Pakistan and take their wickets early.

In Nagpur, the imam of Darul Uloom Azad Hind Madrasa in Tipu Sultan Square led hundreds of Muslims as they prayed for India’s victory after the Dhuhr prayers. Imam Zia, who led a rally with students of the madrasa, said that they prayed Tendulkar would score a century and India win the World Cup.