High emotions: Heart attack, prayers and rounds of fire
Spectators in Rawalpindi were pretty upbeat as the match between India and Pakistan took off but the mood took a swing after Pakistan’s batting line collapsed. Surprisingly, some spectators did not give up hope and cheered at every four and sixer hit by Pakistan.
There were comments galore all around Rawalpindi. Most did not want to believe that India played a better game than Pakistan which got them a slot in the final.
One young cricket enthusiast was so pumped up as the Pakistani side was going down that he had a minor episode of heart attack. He had to be removed away from the crowd.
Religion seemed prominent among the spectators. Everytime Pakistan took a wicket or hit a boundary the atmosphere rang up with Islamic slogans. An elderly woman standing at the rear end of the boisterous crowd had her hands clasped and was praying. When asked who she was praying for, she replied if Pakistan won, it would make her son a happy man. George Orwell’s observation that sports between nation-states was a battle without the shooting seemed so true watching the cricket enthusiasts. It was seen as a war between the Kafir India and the Muslim Pakistan. Mature men would throw taunts at Sita and Ram. One man proudly showed a text message which ran something like this: “You (India) have Munee Badnam, Reshman jawan, and we (Pakistan) have a Captain Pathan.”
Aerial firing was profusely used in all big screen joints. In one such joint in Saddar, a policeman in civvies could not resist the temptation and took out his gun firing all rounds in his magazine.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2011.
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" Success in sports versus Failure in national Affairs".It is very strange to note that Ministers and politicians are making comments and giving advises, suggestions and guidelines to Cricketers, whether these Ministers and politicians will like to see their own performance. Due to these politicians Pakistan has become the most corrupted, back ward and failed state of the world, Due to greed and lust of power of these ministers and politicians recognized criminal and corrupted President and Prime Minister are ruling the country. There is chronic shortage of electricity, there is chronic shortage of clean drinking water even in cities like Karachi. There is chronic shortage of Transport even in cities like Karachi and majority of people travels by sitting on top of roof of buses. Pakistani cricketers have taken Pakistan to great heights by Defeating great nations like Australia and West Indies which are much more healthier and advanced nations of the world. If there are some black sheeps in Pakistani team, then it should be blamed on incompetent and corrupted management of the team who were even supporting the three corrupted players of the team even in the presence of solid evidence. We should be thankful to ICC for removing these players from Pakistani Team, otherwise these corrupted players were continuing their match fixing activities and it was simply not possible to play the Semi final in world cup. M.AKRAM NIAZI. KARACHI,PAKISTAN.