Vajpayee, Sonia watch cricket match
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Feb 4 — Before the start of the second cricket Test between India and Pakistan, the players of both teams were introduced to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The Union Human Resource Development Minister, Mr Murli Manohar Joshi, the Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, and the High Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, were also present.

Later in the day, the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, also came to the Ferozeshah Kotla ground to witness the match.

The Ferozeshah Kotla ground resembled a fortress. Not only were policemen keeping a close vigil in and around the stadium, but were present in all the stands.

The behaviour of the crowd, which did not exceed 10,000, was far from good in contrast to the good behaviour of the packed crowd at Chidambaram Stadium at Chennai.

For some time they chanted "Pakistan hai hai" even when the match was just half an hour in progress.

Later, Pakistan fielder Inzamam-ul-Haq was constantly teased by a section of the crowd, calling him "aaloo" (potato).

In the 1977 Sahara Cup one-day international series in Toronto between India and Pakistan, Inzamam had a scuffle with a spectator who was constantly heckling him by calling him "aaloo".