NEIGHBOURLY CONCERN
To be fair, the fan behaviour for the major part of the day in India's match againstPakistan was exemplary. This in Manchester, where the Pakistani fans outnumbered theIndian fans by perhaps 5 to 1, and at a time when the two countries were fighting afull-blown border war. In fact, the politicians back home were more tense than the fanshere. Nawaz Sharif, reportedly, rang up Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram twice after thePakistan loss and said: "Aur koi team nahin mili thi harne ko, ab final jeet kar hilauto." (Didn't you find any other team to lose against, now return only afterwinning the final). Even the Indian defence minister George Fernandes wrote a letter tothe team congratulating them on their victory and talked about the big significance itperhaps had on the morale of the troops on the border. Five of us in the Indian mediacontingent depended heavily on a local Pakistani, Zardad Khan, for being driven around forthe matches. A cab driver in London, Zardad took a fancy to us and then hung on as friend.So, while travelling to Manchester we had a Pakistani supporter and five Indians in thesame van. Zardad was full of arguments about who should play. He was particularly upsetwith Nayan Mongia's performance, and claimed he could bat better. But we duly reminded himthat Mongia didn't drop a single catch in eight matches and the only byes he conceded werein the last match India played.But to no avail.
ON A GULAG DIET
AMAY Khurasia did have a case to be included in India's last match against New Zealand,but he didn't get a look in. Khurasia, incidentally, got very few nets as well on theentire tour. In fact he was going around with a most persecuted look. In the New Zealandgame he was offered biscuits by some photographers while he was standing on the boundaryline for the 12th man chores. He took the biscuit but then returned it with the comment."I've really been done in. Abhi biscuit khate dekh liya to kamal hi ho jayega."(It'll be too much if they see me eating the biscuit). This because of the rather strictrules prevailing in the Indian camp about diet. But Khurasia shouldn't have worried, heshould have known that Andrew Kokinos's contract with the board was coming to an end.
TEAM ON THE COUCH
The Pakistan team has been taking some psychology classes from the new assistant coach,Pybus from South Africa. In sessions with the team, Pybus would ask the players tovisualise Akram holding aloft the trophy at Lord's, with the rest of the squad cheering.As a result many Pakistani players now say that all they can dream about is holding thatcup.
SUCCESS PAES
IN the gloomy scenario of India's performance, the tennis duo of Leander Paes and MaheshBhupathi provided the cheers. At the Queens tennis tournament, where I met up withLeander, he was his candid self. Incidentally, the two haven't had time to celebrate theirvictory in the French Open, and they might have to wait a month longer considering theirchoked playing calendar at the moment. After the victory Leander flew straight down toLondon while Bhupathi had to stick around for three hours to get his urine tested fordrugs-simply because he couldn't get it going. After media reports of a strainedrelationship between the two, things seem to have been sorted out. Says Leander:"That was because of somebody trying to cause a problem between us. Some people jumponto your bandwagon after you have some success." The two are aiming at winning moregrandslams and also the doubles gold at Sydney 2000. The one worrying aspect is thatopponents now come prepared to face them. Says Leander: "Earlier, when we wereunderdogs, we would often be a break or a set up before our opponents realised what washappening. Now, they gun for us." That's the price of success, young man.
A FERRARI FOR SHOAIB?
JEFF Thomson on whether anyone would break his 99 mph speed barrier and touch 100:"The bowler would need to run up in a Ferrari."