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Pak players turn into national heroes
Inzamam-ul-Haq's men were branded as national heroes after they came back from two matches down to win the ODI series against India 4-2.
Inzamam-ul-Haq's men were on Sunday branded as national heroes after Pakistan came back from two matches down against traditional rivals India to win the six-match one-day series 4-2.
"They are our national heroes. They have provided the entire nation extreme joy, pleasure and happiness. We are proud of them. They have shown that they are the second best team in the world after Australia. Now rest of the teams should fight for places after top two," Shayan Burney, a 27-year-old chartered accountant, said.
"The Pakistan cricket team deserves the same welcome and receptions that Imran Khan's team in 1992 got after they won the World Cup. This tour has not been different from the 1992 tour because the team was weak and was pitted against more experienced opponents," Sajid Khan, a Pakistan International Airlines employee remarked.
Pakistan, in the Test series, also played out of their skins at Mohali to save the Test while they bounced back at Bangalore after losing at Kolkata to level the series at 11.
Inzamam-ul-Haq's team was branded as the weakest ever to leave the shores with the former cricketers and pundits of the game giving them no chance in the series.
The common factor in the 1992 World Cup team and this team was that it was void of stars as the squad comprised budding youngsters. While the 1992 team was without Waqar Younis, Inzamam was without the services of Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul.
"I think we showed the Indians that we are not only a better cricket team but are more sporting nation with a high tolerance level," Mohammad Ali, a receptionist at a local hospital, remarked with reference to crowd trouble at Feroz Shah Kotla after India had slumped to 94 for six in pursuit of 304-run victory target.
