E-Paper
High security as teams arrive
The Indian and Pakistani teams arrived on Monday amid heavy security and much anticipation, a day before their ODI in Ahmedabad.
The Indian and Pakistani cricket teams arrived on Monday amid heavy security and much anticipation, a day before their one dayer in Ahmedabad.
The two squads were received at the airport by officials and taken to their hotel, the Taj Residency Ummed, near the airport, with a tight security cordon around them.
Fans waiting outside the airport as well as the hotel to have a look at their cricketing idols were disappointed as the players were whisked away in coaches with curtains drawn on the windows.
Security personnel were posted at the hotel to weed out autograph-seekers.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had refused to play a Test in Ahmedabad citing security concerns given the communal history of Gujarat, in particular the 2002 sectarian violence which left at least 2,000 dead.
The controversy was resolved with the board agreeing to a one-dayer at the Sardar Patel Gujarat stadium at Motera on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
On their part, local authorities promised extra security measures and the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) even offered insurance protection to the visiting team.
The players are scheduled to leave Ahmedabad on Tuesday evening, immediately after their match.
