BOMBAY, 14 November 2003 — What a great cricket week it was in Bombay as a run-up to the One-day International between India and Australia. The home team’s defeat at the hands of the World Cup champions, sad though it was, could not dampen the spirits of those intimately connected with the game, as they took in several functions, including two major awards nights in the city, in their strides.
The match, at the Wankhede Stadium, last Saturday, itself was a tremendous sell-out. The fact that the 2003 World Cup finalists were clashing once again was a big draw in itself and the fact that India had beaten Australia in the earlier match of the tri-series at Gwalior, had added to the attraction. The stadium was packed as never before, with thousands left waiting outside.
Book releases, seminars and informal lunches and dinners preceded the Wisden International Awards function and the Ceat Ratings Awards Night. Members of both Indian and Australian teams participated in these. What added glamour to the awards events and the match itself was the presence of three Pakistani cricketers, former captains Imran Khan and Rameez Raja and the current rage, Shoaib Akhtar.
Imran Khan made the best use of his visit to Bombay, after almost a decade, by expressing a fervent wish to see India and Pakistan renew cricketing ties. “People in both countries would just love to see the matches, whatever the outcome, which does not matter at all.”
Imran immediately set the record straight, while presenting the “Wisden International Cricketer of the Year” award to Ricky Ponting, by saying that he was misquoted on his remarks about Sachin Tendulkar. “How could I ever say that Sachin is not a match-winning batsman, when his wonderful innings against Pakistan in the World Cup is still so fresh in everyone’s mind ?” he said.
What, however, brought the house down was the warm hug that Shoaib Akhtar gave to Tendulkar, after presenting the Master Blaster “The Best Moment of World Cup 2003” award. The award for Tendulkar was adjudged on his hitting Akhtar for a six over point, a recorded version of which was shown on the giant screen. The sporting Akhtar was as lustily applauded as was the Indian hero and the two together made such an exciting picture.
The Rawalpindi Express spent an extra day to stay over and watch the match. That Shoaib Akhtar is as popular in India as, perhaps, Tendulkar is in Pakistan was immediately proved. His very appearance in the crowded stadium drew loud applause all round, as TV cameras closed in on him. The fierce rivalry on the field of play between Tendulkar and Akhtar is matched by their friendship off it. He was seen cheering the Indian team and, more particularly, Tendulkar and Dravid, as the two were engaged in a big partnership, raising India’s hopes of a victory.
Shoaib talked freely to the media after the match. He said that Tendulkar is easily the best batsman he has ever bowled to. “It is a challenge to bowl to him and you will always see me at my very best against him. We still have a few scores to settle and I am just waiting for that opportunity when the cricketing ties are resumed,” he said.
The presence of three Pakistani stalwarts in India, and, more particularly, in Bombay, could not have come at a more opportune time, as both sides are paving the way for the resumption of cricketing ties early next year. The best of hospitality awaits the Indian team when it visits Pakistan, as indeed was attendant on the big Pakistani delegation that took part in the Afro-Asian Games in Hyderabad. Particular care was taken by the organizers to put up the Pakistani contingent in the same hotel as the Indian teams. Although the Pakistan hockey team lost twice to their Indian counterparts, they surely must have carried back home some happy memories of the first-ever Afro-Asian Games.
Almost a freeway has been established at the Wagah border, linking the two countries and so many from Pakistan are crossing on foot as well as on the bus. One can just imagine how much more spontaneity will be fostered with the coming of cricketing exchanges.
