The Hindu : Team India puts celebrations on hold

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 03, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Team India puts celebrations on hold

LAHORE, APRIL 2. Grappling with a spate of injuries, Indian cricketers put celebrations on hold until they clinch a historic first-ever Test series victory on Pakistan's soil, a team official said on Friday.

A late night team supper following a flight to the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday was the only celebratory gathering for the Indian players, after carving out a maiden Test match triumph in Pakistan in the southern city of Multan.

It took India five decades to clinch the Test victory since Vinoo Mankad first brought a team here in 1954.

``The celebrations will happen only after we've won the series, this was just the first step,'' team manager Ratnakar Shetty said.

Shetty said the Indian team headed for Wagah on Friday evening — the only place where travellers can legally cross the Pakistan-India border on foot — to witness the flag-lowering ceremony that attracts visitors on either side of the border.

The Indian cricketers travelled 25 km east of Lahore to witness the choreographed ceremony, which features strutting soldiers, thrust-out chests and aggressive stares.

Zaheer Khan underwent a scan on his right leg to find out if he ruptured his hamstring, but Shetty said the doctors indicated it was not a serious injury.

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