Seventy percent of tickets for the game have gone to the Indian supporters and 15% to Pakistan, while the other 15% has been distributed among neutral fans and the ICC and member board officials who will be present here in good numbers. A jam-packed Edgbaston, with the potential to bring the entire United Kingdom's subcontinent diaspora to a standstill, will be the talking point around here.
For action to begin, the thick layers of cloud that have completely blocked sunlight from penetrating into Birmingham will have to move away. If they don't, constant burst of showers will be most likely -- as the forecast suggests -- and that will mean either a complete washout or a heavily curtailed encounter.
Fans stood outside the renovated stadium throughout Friday, concerned with the buzz surrounding the two teams, as players drove into Edgbaston for practice and drove out looking up at the sky. These fans have shelled out a good deal of money a month in advance, regardless of what effect the game might have on the tournament, simply because it's India versus Pakistan.
"Kal dekhna, pata chalega India-Pakistan ka kya importance hota hai (Watch out, tomorrow you'll know the importance of an India-Pakistan match)," said Misbah-ul Haq, the Pak skipper, hoping like his Indian counterpart MS Dhoni that a full day of cricket is available for fans.
The match may be inconsequential because India have already qualified for the semifinals and Pakistan are already out of the tournament. However, for the Pak team that was booed on its way out of Edgbaston the other day after losing to South Africa, winning against India may allow them to head back home with a consolation win.
In India's case, it'll be an opportunity to test their in-form batting order against one of the best pace and spin attacks in the tournament.
The weather -- around which everything comes into play -- has been most unpredictable in Birmingham. The sun tends to come out and go away in a flash and so does the rain. The only constant is perhaps the irregularity with which things change.
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