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Pak leave with memories, barfi
Pakistani cricketers received gifts, including kaju ki barfi for captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, and lots of handshakes as they left for home.
Pakistani cricketers received gifts, including kaju ki barfi for captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, and lots of handshakes as they left for home carrying happy memories of a successful tour of India.
The Inzamam-led Pakistani side drew the three-Test series 1-1 and followed it up with a 4-2 win over India in the six-match One-Day International series that ended on Sunday.
Some Indian players including Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Anil Kumble as well as coach John Wright stayed back in New Delhi while Sachin Tendulkar left for home on Sunday night.
While Karachi-bound players like Shahid Afridi and Danish Kaneria left by a Pakistan International Airlines flight early on Monday morning, others like Inzamam, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Salman Butt and team managers Salim Altaf and Asad Mustafa left by a flight for Lahore in the afternoon.
The Lahore-bound players got the opportunity to shop in the morning and were seen returning to the team hotel Taj Palace, with readymade clothes. A few fans too gathered at the hotel seeking their autographs.
Though Inzamam preferred to stay in his room on Monday morning, he received two big packets of sweets made by the well-known chain Nathu's.
"There was a special request from home for these sweets as the kaju ki barfi of Delhi is really good," a relaxed-looking Inzamam said as he came down to the hotel lobby to receive the packets from a lady.
Players were seen hurriedly packing their bags as the 3 pm departure from the hotel drew near.
Left-handed opener Butt, one of the few English-speaking Pakistani players, gave his clothes for ironing as he exchanged money for wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, one of the successes for Pakistan.
The diminutive Akmal was among the players who went out shopping and came back late to pack his bags.
Pakistan's Kanpur-born coach Bob Woolmer went round the city for some work and returned to sip gin as he relaxed before changing into the team's travel uniform to leave with the rest of the team for the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
