Stage set for grudge match

Big screens are going up, TV sales are booming and even the Taliban are getting their transistor radios ready for the biggest grudge match in cricket: Pakistan against India.

From the beaches of Kerala to the snowy Himalayas, from the deserts of Baluchistan to the tea plantations of Assam, hundreds of millions of fans will be glued to the action as the two sides clash in the World Cup on Sunday.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on Friday to wish his team luck in their opening match at the Adelaide Oval.

The time difference with Australia means the match will start around breakfast time in the subcontinent, but that is unlikely to deter legions of supporters for whom a win over the old enemy is almost as important as winning the tournament.

In the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, big screen TVs are selling fast, with many restaurants installing the latest LED screens to lure in punters on Sunday.

Hundreds of thousands of people are living in temporary accommodation around northwest Pakistan after being forced to flee the restive tribal areas on the Afghan border by a major anti-Taliban military operation.

Across the border in India, Mumbai police have launched a crackdown on illegal bookmakers who are set to take a windfall from thousands of gambling-mad punters.

Although gambling is mostly banned in India, betting on cricket matches thrives through networks of underground bookies.

Restaurants are also gearing up for the event, hosting cricket-themed breakfasts and lunches.