Celebrity fans
A group of Australian fans have become local celebrities after their pleas to secure tickets for the first Test in Rawalpindi were answered by TikTok. The group of five travelled to Pakistan but were unable to buy tickets for the first two days. Cricket Australia officials were investigating options for getting the keen fans into the stadium but the social media platform, which is sponsoring the series, jumped in and supplied tickets. Some of the group will leave after the first Test, while others plan to attend the next two Tests in Karachi and Lahore. “We are having a ball out in the ground,” said Jacqui Lewis, who has travelled from Hobart. “It is a great atmosphere and we are being made to feel welcomed. We have had lots of photos and interviews.”
Pakistan’s Ben Stokes?
The sight of Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf training out in the middle during the tea break on day four was clearly heartening to Pakistan fans at Rawalpindi. Injuries kept them out for the first Test but the two players are expected to be fit for the second Test in Karachi. Pakistan fielded just two fast bowlers at Pindi and right-armer Hasan could provide extra potency to their attack. But it was seaming allrounder Faheem who had the crowd pumped up as they chanted, “You’re Pakistan’s Ben Stokes!” It may be up for debate as to whether Faheem’s skills are comparable to the England allrounder, but there’s no doubt his presence could give Pakistan’s XI valuable balance.
Birthday bonanza
There have been birthday celebrations galore in Islamabad. The first week of the tour has seen three birthdays in the Australian touring party: team doctor Leigh Golding, physiotherapist Brendan Wilson & wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis. On each occasion the team hotel has provided an enormous, rich chocolate cake. Spies can confirm some players have partaken while others have thought better of it for the sake of their waistlines but each cake has still disappeared in rapid time. One Pakistani journalist celebrated his own birthday by sharing cake with visiting media on day four while English journalist and commentator Isabelle Westbury marks her anniversary on the final day of the first Test. Meanwhile, best wishes flooded in on social media for The Australian’s correspondent, Peter Lalor, but the rumour that it was his birthday turned out to be fake news.
Gracious hosts
The hospitality of the local journalists in Islamabad has been overwhelming, to say the least. They presented traditional caps and shawls to all the visiting media from other cities and abroad and organised a ceremony in honour of Shane Warne, placing a banner bearing an image of the Australian great above flowers at the front of the media box. Waqar Younis joined in to share his memories of Warne while PTV presenter, Zainab Abbas also paid tribute alongside other members of the media.
Signs of Pindi
A feature of the Test has been the vast array of warm and witty homemade signs brought by fans to the stadium. The placards have ranged from warm welcomes to the Australians to helpful pronunciation guides for the visiting players’ names. But my favourite so far appeared on the third day of the Test. “Beware of Marnus,” the sign read. “He will say NO RUN all day and end up with 100.” Alas for his fans, Labuschagne was out in the first innings on 90.
