Five takes from an India Pakistan match

As India Pakistan

Champions Trophy final

hogs most of the limelight on Sunday, fans are in for some colourful experiences.

METER DOWN IN NY, NO CURRY IN UK

As the first ball is bowled at the

Oval

, nearly three thousand miles away in New York, commuters will have to brace themselves for a common phenomenon - absence of cabs. With a large part of the yellow cab driving workforce being Asian and mostly from Pakistan and India, expect a lot of them to stay off the roads to watch another classic unfold on their television sets. In London, meanwhile, the Brits will have to be content with the good 'ol fish 'n chips as curry 'n kebab shops will mostly be shut.

BEST TIME TO SHOP IN PEACE

For someone who's not a cricket fan or for that matter an India vs Pakistan enthusiast, there could be no better day to 'shop till you drop'. With most diehard cricket aficionados watching the showdown from the comforts of their homes, deserted roads and near-empty malls come as a welcome respite for this rare breed of individuals.

TELLY TAMASHA

An image that becomes synonymous with almost every Pakistani defeat to India is that of broken, smashed television sets. With fans unable to vent their frustration on the team, the good ol' telly becomes the unfortunate victim. Pakistan fans may have turned to mock funerals for the cricket bat lately, but the fate of a television remains unfortunate in the aftermath of an Indian victory. TV insurance soon?

WHAT'S THE EXCUSE?

The India-Pak final falling on a Sunday has come as a big relief for a majority of officer-goers who can avoid the annual banal exercise of finding excuses to skip work. From calling in sick to attending to an ailing relative and even saying their houses have been burgled, watching a high-voltage match has never stopped Indian fans from firing up their imagination.

SOCIAL MEDIA FIREWORKS

There was a time when winning explosive encounters -especially India-Pak matches -saw large number of fans spill onto the streets, bursting firecrackers and distributing streets in a show of national pride. Though the numbers may have come down in continuing the tradition, the action has now shifted to social networking sites. Firecrackers are passe, pre-prepared folders with memes are in as Twitter becomes the new battleground for fans to take potshots at each other.