Cricket fans confident Pakistan will bounce back

Enthusiasts glued to the screens as Peshawar and Swat’s roads wore a deserted look .

MINGORA/ PESHAWAR: Cricket fans were forced to swallow the bitter pill of defeat as arch cricketing rivals India comprehensively beat Pakistan in their first World Cup match on Sunday. Though few positives could be drawn from the game, Peshawar’s youngsters refused to lose faith in the national side.

“This was just the beginning. We have confidence in our team,” said one of the supporters gathered at Hotel Spring Village in University Town where the match was being shown on a big screen.

The people of Peshawar were out in full force, sporting the national flag as they watched the match at the hotel. More than three hundred of them turned up from different parts of the city but many chose to stay home due to Friday’s terror attack on Imamia Mosque. As Pesco had announced uninterrupted power supply, viewers were happy to tune in from home.

As the Pakistan batting line started crumbling as it chased some 300 runs, some enthusiasts did lose hope and started leaving the venue.  However, the diehard supporters stayed on till the last wicket. “The fall of each wicket was a shock,” said Abdul Aziz. “But we developed confidence in each new batsman on the crease.”

With most people glued to their telly for Sunday’s Pakistan versus India World Cup clash, the walled city’s streets, usually chock-a-block with vehicles and pedestrians, wore a deserted look.

“I don’t care who won the match, but it was good day to travel around the city as reckless drivers stayed at home,” said Abdul Baseer who was at the general bus stand to meet some of his guests.

Peshawar Traffic SP Wahid Mehmood said 90% of the vehicles were off the road because it was a Sunday and the match was on.

Undivided attention

Major markets in Swat also wore a deserted look.

“I came from Gwalerai village in Matta to shop but found the markets were closed, said Fazal Bari of Gwalerai “I was told it was because of the Pakistan-India match,” he said.

The district administration also arranged for a big screen to show the match at the Wadudia Hall in Saidu Sharif where more than 2,000 youngsters cheered the Pakistani team on.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2015.