It’s a day out from the game, and yet getting to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium when Australia or England are en route can be impossible. Presidential-style security chaperones the sides between the hotel and the newly-rebuilt ground. The ticketing website and resale venue were overwhelmed as soon as tickets for this contest were released, and then once more when further tickets were made available.
A car arrived at the gate, a full mile away from the stadium entrance itself. A policeman had a long squint at the windshield, and shook his head. “Wrong type of sticker,” he said firmly. “You can’t enter here, let alone park here.” In Pakistan, this game is a big deal, bigger than arguably for any other side this tournament.
“I think it’s irrelevant, really,” Smith said on Friday. “This is another event. You’ve got to be focused from that first game. In our last World Cup, we were a bit slow to get started. We were really under the pump. And then we brought our best cricket towards the back end of the tournament, which is what you need in World Cups.
“Champions Trophies are a lot different. You can’t be slow to get started. You’ve got to get right into your work from the outset. That’s our message to the group and the guys are excited about getting started tomorrow night against England out here.”
Back as Australian captain in an incredible redemptive arc, victory here may just be another bit of silverware for a heaving Australian trophy cabinet, but leading his side to it would be a prized career highlight for the man himself.
“I’m pretty relaxed,” Smith said. “There’s always pressure when you’re playing in international events and big tournaments. It’s clear we’re obviously missing a few of our gun fast bowlers, but we’re not worried about that. We’re thinking about what we’ve got here and the opportunity that those guys have.
“There’s some quality players in that room that are playing in almost their first big event, I suppose, which they’re looking forward to and I’m looking forward to as well. It’s going to be great to see them placed under pressure against some quality opposition, and it’s going to be an exciting time for us.”
England may not be the terrifying opposition they were in this format between 2015 and 2019, the side that blitzed Australia to what remains their only World Cup semi-final defeat. However, it does offer an indication of what each side expects from the squad they bring to this tournament that England announced their starting XI – specific batting positions and all – nearly two full days out from the game, while Australia want as much information as possible.
“We’re pretty clear where we’re sort of heading,” Smith said, somewhat unconvincingly. “But we’ll name it [the side] at the toss tomorrow. I need to have a look at the surface when we get an opportunity as well. We’re pretty clear where we want to go, but we’ll name it tomorrow.”
Smith was hit in the box in the nets on Friday, but has been cleared to face England after some initial discomfort. He missed a training session earlier in the week through illness, and said that he had not yet looked at the surface when he spoke to media.
“England are a great side,” Smith said. “They’ve been a very good white-ball team for a long period of time and we’re looking forward to starting our campaign against them tomorrow. Hopefully it’s a belter of a game.”
But, as every side in this tournament knows well, there is only so much debate to be had about the finer technical points of strength and weakness about an Australian side in these circumstances. Like Real Madrid in football’s Champions League, all that sometimes matters is that running through the DNA of this particular unit is an ancient, received wisdom passed down generations, one that illuminates the path to glory in ICC event after ICC event.
No wonder, then, that Smith, whom destiny appears to have thrust into the role of main Australian character against England once more, is quite so relaxed.
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
