Tags
Pakistani cricket fans watch the live broadcast of the World Cup match between Pakistan and India on a viewing screen in Karachi on Sunday.
AFP/Islamabad
Fans slammed Pakistan after a 76-run defeat to arch-rivals India in their opening World Cup match in Adelaide on Sunday, claiming their beloved team can't bat, bowl or field.
Millions of Pakistanis across the country watched the match at home and in restaurants which had installed giant TV screens, but the defeat - the sixth in six World Cup meetings - frustrated them.
"I had huge excitement to watch this match which Pakistan has lost," said Farhat Irshad, 22 who came to watch the match in a restaurant in the capital Islamabad where up to 200 fans had gathered.
Irshad said she had a bet with her friends on a Pakistan win which she lost.
"Now I will have to arrange a party for them (her friends). I am really saddened but, whatever happens, we love our cricket team."
The defending champions made 300 for seven from their 50 overs after electing to bat.
In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 224 with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq top scoring with 76.
"We had a lot of expectations that Pakistan might change history as we have always lost to India in World Cups but they did not make it possible," added Irshad.
Another Islamabad native, Tahir Qureshi, 32, blamed everything for defeat: "Poor bowling, poor fielding and poor batting".
"They had no planning. They came to the ground with no planning on the batting order," Qureshi said.
"Promoting Younis Khan as an opener was foolish - you saw the result (Younis made six)," Qureshi said.
"The middle order batting completely failed."
Owais Ahmad, 20, an enthusiastic fan in Islamabad said he had been optimistic about Pakistan ending their World Cup drought against India.
"But see what has happened," he said.
There are no comments.
SPORT Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
TECHNOLOGY Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
CULTURE Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
ARABIA The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
ARABIA Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
ARABIA The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
ECONOMY Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.
