The Hindu : Pakistan greets Indian `invaders' with warmth

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

National

National

Pakistan greets Indian `invaders' with warmth

LAHORE, MARCH 20. It is an Indian invasion of this historic city of Pakistan.

They are coming by planes, trains and bus loads — the Indians in their thousands to back their national cricket team when it takes on Pakistan at the Gadhaffi Stadium here tomorrow and again on Wednesday.

For once the ``invaders'' are welcome. Wherever they go they are greeted by the Pakistanis with a warmth which does not betray even a trace of the bitter, and mostly hostile, ties that have bedevilled the neighbouring countries.

The Indian Airlines is operating special flights, chartered flights and putting bigger planes on the Delhi-Lahore sector to accommodate cricket fans who are also pouring into Lahore by trains and buses. The airline operated the 200-seat Airbus 300 instead of the 144-seater A-320 yesterday to accommodate the rush.

A special flight is plying on the Delhi-Lahore sector today, followed by a chartered flight carrying some of the top names in the Indian industry and corporate world which will land only hours before the fourth one-day match of the series here tomorrow. Special and additional flights are also being operated by the airline ahead of the fifth one-dayer, which will also be played here on Wednesday.

The hotels here have never had it so good. The room rates have gone up very substantially but rooms are not available.

The number of Indians, who have come for the matches vary, depending on whom you talk to. Some put the figure at 10,000, but most estimates put them at about 7,000.

It is truly a friendship series. The crowds in the first three one-dayers have been sporting and supportive of good cricket. The matches at Lahore are expected to be played in the same spirit.

Shoaib Akhtar has a fantastic following in his homeland, which is no surprise, but for many a youngster here the favourite cricketer is Sachin Tendulkar for his class as a batsman, and for his dignity both on and off the field.

Music stores carry video discs of some of the greatest innings of the Indian maestro. These have been produced in Pakistan and are not available even in India.

For once the ``invaders'' and the invaded are on the same side. They want to watch great cricket and promote friendship. — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National