A good game is all they want - The Times of India
ATTARI: The bottom line for cricket fans from Pakistan as well as families of some Pakistan cricket team members was that everyone was looking forward to watch a great cricket match! However, even though the overriding feeling is that of fostering friendship through cricket diplomacy between the two traditionally warring nations, the visiting fans were apprehensive about the host country's reaction, if the match outcome was in favour of the men in green.
Ahsaan Riaz, brother of Wahab Riaz, the left arm pacer of the Pakistan cricket team, said there were some apprehensions back home. "Our women folk are not accompanying us, mainly for this reason, but we hope that our neighbours take winning or losing in their stride, like we did when India defeated Pakistan in Lahore back in 2004.
All of us celebrated their win on the roads,'' he said. His father, Sheikh Sikandar Riaz, however, was quick to dismiss such apprehensions. "We have arrived here in expectation of a good match, whosoever plays well, should win," he said.The participation of his son, Ahsaan, who is bowling extremely well, in the match depends on the team's decision of whether to retain Shoaib Akhtar or replace him with Ahsaan, but the father did not want to comment on the matter. "They are all like my sons. It is up to the team manager to decide whom to pick for the match,'' he said.
Wicket keeper Kamran Akmal and his batsman brother Umar Iqbal will be cheered by their father Mohammad Akram Siddiq who arrived in India, accompanied by two brothers, Adnan, who is also a team member, but is not playing the World Cup, and Rehman. Their three brothers have stayed back to watch the match on TV.
Reacting to cricket diplomacy, Adnan said, "Cricket hoga to hum idhar aayenge aur aap udhar jayenge, aur dosti badhegi (cricket will facilitate travel between the two countries and more friendship). But for now, the teams should only play good cricket."
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Ijaz Butt was hopeful about the game's outcome in Pakistan's favour. "Our team is in great form and they are performing exceedingly well," he said.
Meanwhile, there was overall condemnation of Pakistan minster Rehman Malik's controversial statement on 'keeping an eye on the players'. "He does not represent the average Pakistani. I don't know from where the statement came, but Imran Khan has given the perfect retort to him and there is no need to say anything more,'' said Taimur Bandey, an educationist from Lahore.
"It was such a stupid statement, for which he owes an apology to Afridi,'' said fellow politician Mushahid Hussain Sayed. The family members of the cricketers and Ijaz Butt, however, refused to comment on the matter and said that the team's morale was quite high.
