The Ashes battle has not only fired the imagination in England and Australia but has also re-ignited cricket passions across Asia, where millions are expected be glued television sets to the fourth test.From Islamabad to Auckland, cricket fans have been gripped by the unexpectedly close encounters as England challenge Australia’s long dominance of the sport and 16-year ashes monopoly.In India, interest has been huge with newspapers and TV stations providing blanket coverage. Hotels said customers were asking to watch the Ashes even when India was playing. “Customers wanted to watch the Ashes even on days when India were playing in a tri-series in Sri Lanka. This has not been seen in the past,” a hotel manager said.
