ALKHOBAR, 3 April 2005 — A small number of expatriates watched the first India-Pakistan one-day cricket match live from Cochin and cheered. The venue was Al-Mawad 2 at the Le Meridien. Continuing a tradition, Arab News and Le Meridien were playing host to cricket lovers, once again at their popular Cricket Pavilion.
Inaugurating the Arab News Cricket Pavilion, Yahya Qutub, Meridien’s deputy general manager said that cricket had become very popular in Saudi Arabia. “Most of our hotel guests ask if we have the sports channel and if that shows cricket and we have acceded to that demand.”
Qutub said that even his own boys had started playing cricket and were asking for bats.
Das from Cochin sat watching the match with intent. “I am hoping to catch the glimpse of a friend or relative at the stadium. I came to the Arab News Cricket Pavilion last year and really enjoyed myself, that is why I am back.”
Das said he was very happy to see India win “but even if Pakistan had won, I would have been happy, because ultimately, it’s a victory for cricket.”
Shaukat Ali from Kashmir sat with a grim expression. He hated watching Pakistan lose. “We did everything wrong today. We dropped important catches; we opened with Akmal instead of Afridi.”
Ali said he was a regular reader of Arab News and loved its Cricket Pavilion. It’s great to have Indian and Pakistani match lovers under the same roof. It creates friendly competition.”
Majida, a British expatriate was visiting the Arab News Pavilion for the first time. “It has great atmosphere and I loved the big screen, though watching Pakistan lose on a big screen was a bigger disappointment.” She hoped that as the matches got more competitive more people would visit the pavilion. “All the noise, the cheering, is all enhanced. And hey, it’s better than a stadium, its air-conditioned.”
Brothers Ammar and Ansar were enjoying the last two days of their school holidays by watching the match at the pavilion. They said they were disappointed to see Pakistan lose but they would be back to the pavilion hopefully to see a Pakistan victory.
Three-year old British expatriate Sophia was amazed to see the ‘huge men’ on the big screen. She did not like cricket and wanted the channel changed to Cartoon Network. She said she liked the green guys because they were Pakistani like ‘daddy’. However, when she heard India won, she said, “I like the blue guys because they won.”
