Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Rizwan says his team was ‘showered with love’ by an adoring crowd in Hyderabad as they beat Sri Lanka by six wickets. Halfway through Pakistan’s run-chase in Tuesday’s ICC Cricket World Cup match against Sri Lanka, the Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium crowd roared and chanted a famous Pakistani slogan.
Rizwan says his team was ‘showered with love’ by an adoring crowd in Hyderabad.
“Jeetay ga bhaee jeetay ga, Pakistan jeetay ga [Pakistan will win],” they shouted in unison after a prompt from the venue’s DJ. The near-capacity crowd roared for Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, when he stepped on the field and cheered for Mohammad Rizwan while guiding his team home with a fighting century. “The way the crowd showered us with love, we felt like we were [playing] at home,”
Rizwan cheerfully told reporters after the match on Tuesday. Pakistan has been based in south India since they arrived nearly two weeks ago when large crowds gathered at the airport to welcome the team from across the border. “The way people welcomed us at the airport and then chanted for us while we were on the ground – it left us speechless,” the Pakistani wicket-keeper batter said when prompted to comment on the reception accorded to his team. “We have developed a bond of love with the people here.”
