Fan fury: This is not cricket! | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Fan fury: This is not cricket!

None | By, Allahabad
Nov 28, 2006 12:38 AM IST

ANGRY CRICKET fans held angry protests outside the Kaif Villa in Allahabad to vent their ire against the poor performance of Team India in South Africa. Led by Chatra Lok Janshakti (CLJ) state president Arif Iqbal, the activists burnt an effigy of coach Greg Chappel and captain Rahul Dravid in front of the house of Mohd Kaif, who is also touring South Africa.

ANGRY CRICKET fans held angry protests outside the Kaif Villa in Allahabad to vent their ire against the poor performance of Team India in South Africa.

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Led by Chatra Lok Janshakti (CLJ) state president Arif Iqbal, the activists burnt an effigy of coach Greg Chappel and captain Rahul Dravid in front of the house of Mohd Kaif, who is also touring South Africa.

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Iqbal charged the coach and captain with “playing politics” and not cricket. “The coach, instead of concentrating on utilising the potential of players, is busy giving statements and defending his faulty techniques while the captain has turned out to be a mere dummy,” said Iqbal.

State general secretary Ravi Jaiswal wanted BCCI president Sharad Pawar to sack the coach, a foreigner, who had failed miserably in understanding the Indian sentiments.

Women’s wing president of the party Neeta Sahu announced to present a set of bangles to the coach.

Interestingly, the angry fans had not much to say against the local star Mohd Kaif. Refusing to comment on his poor performance, the fans put the entire blame on the coach and the captain.

Meanwhile, Kaif’s father Mohd Tariff, preferred to put up a brave front. “These are fans with bruised hearts and hence their action can not be condemned. As a cricketer myself, I am only waiting for a much improved performance by the team in general, and Kaif in particular,” he said.

“Inshaallah, we will not have to wait much for the same and then these same fans will be distributing sweets here in front of my house,” he added.

His brother Mohd Asif and other family members also hoped for a better show by Team India. It is to be noted that team India has lost miserably two back to back matches to South Africa and is trailing 2-0 in the 5-match One Day series.

None of the batsmen of the star-studded Team India have so far succeeded in impressing the millions of fans backhome. Mahendra Singh Dhoni managed a half century in the last encounter on Sunday.

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