All roads lead to Kochi for first ODI

Thousands of cricket fans have descended on Kerala's port town.

The hotels are packed, the tickets sold out and the atmosphere electric. Thousands of cricket fans have descended on Kerala's historic port town for the opening India-Pakistan one-day international on Saturday.

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The enthusiasm was evident from the scene at the Kochi international airport on Thursday evening where hundreds of fans came to see their favourite players from both sides.

The Nehru Stadium is expected to hold an 85,000-strong record crowd. With the pitch looking packed with runs, spectators expect a feast.

The Pakistani team is seen to have an upper hand after their victory in the third and final Test in Bangalore, which levelled the series.

Besides, India would like to forget their last outing at this venue when they lost badly to Zimbabwe in 2002. Adding to their problems is out of form captain Sourav Ganguly.

The morale booster for India will be the crowd, which is expected to throw its weight behind the home team. On the flip side though, if the Indian team fails to deliver a fine performance, it could enrage the spectators.

Kochi police chief Dinendra Khsyap said everything was in place for the match.

"We are expecting Pakistani fans even though there has been no official communication," Khsyap said.

Organisers of the one-day international have laid down stringent rules - no cigarettes, no water bottles, no matchboxes and definitely no drunk spectator. Other than mobile phones, little else will be allowed.

Gates will be open from 4 am and every spectator will be frisked and asked to go through a metal detector.