ISLAMABAD, 29 March 2005 — People swarmed the streets of several Pakistani cities setting off firecrackers and handing out sweets as celebrations erupted after Pakistan beat India in the final Test at Bangalore yesterday to square the historic series 1-1.
“It’s a great victory for Pakistan,” fan Jalil Ahmed said in the border city Lahore, where cars and motorbikes thronged the roads blaring their horns, witnesses said.
“I bought two kilos of sweets and distributed it among my employees and other shopkeepers in the bazaar,” Taj Bao, owner of a tailoring shop in the Bhati Gate neighborhood, said.
President Pervez Musharraf also hailed his country’s cricket team’s spectacular victory against India, saying that the nation was proud of their achievement.
The team’s “magnificent all-round effort” earned them a thrilling win in the last session of the Test match, said Musharraf, himself a cricket fan who is expected to watch the last one-day international in India next month.
“All players deserve praise for drawing the series with their lively performance in all departments of the game.”
The president lauded the fighting spirit of skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq, observing that under his leadership “the players gelled together excellently to chalk up the remarkable success”.
In Islamabad, Sher Baz said: “Glued to my television set, I continued to pray for Pakistan team’s victory. I will now say special prayers to thank God.”
Playing the final Test in their first tour of India in six years Pakistan defeated India by 168 runs.
India had won the second Test in Calcutta by 195 runs while the first Test in Mohali was drawn.
But the hosts failed to achieve a target of 383, set by Inzamam, and were shot out for 214.
“It’s a great win and all credit to the Pakistani team,” former Pakistani cricket hero Imran Khan said.
“It is always difficult to come back in the series after one down and all credit goes to Inzamam for leading from the front and that too in his 100th Test match,” he said.
Dozens of people in the southern city of Karachi watching the crucial match in a roadside cafe hugged each other as the last Indian wicket fell in a thrilling finish.
“It’s like winning the World Cup,” said Mohammad Irfan, owner of an electronic shop in the port city’s busy commercial district of Saddar.
“Pakistan entered the series as underdogs but they defeated the mighty Indian batting line-up.”
College students in some areas were heard shouting “Long Live Inzamam” for his masterly handling the series.
