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Wonderful account of spectator experience by [MENTION=135038]Major[/MENTION] from the 1st Test in 'Pindi is this week's POTW
Congratulations!
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ing-Pakistan-v-Australia-at-the-Pindi-Stadium
Congratulations!
http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/s...ing-Pakistan-v-Australia-at-the-Pindi-Stadium
Here is my account of watching the Pakistan Vs Australia Day 3.
It wasn't my first time visiting Rawalpindi stadium, having visited the stadium since the Faysal bank t20 cups of 2014, I have learned and conditioned myself with what to expect when going to a Pakistani stadium.
I must say, each time, the process is more smoother than before.
As Rawalpindi stadium doesn't offer parking due to security reasons, I know about the paid parkings in the city that also give me direct access to the metro bus. Thankfully, the PCB and the Rawalpindi Govt had kept metro bus station opened. For security reasons they had closed the stop at Pindi stadium but allowed the stop 2 km before Pindi stadium one to be opened.
As I got off at the station at 9:45, the security check points had already started from 3.5 km away from the actual stadium. The security checkpoints were built on the service lane, thus the traffic on the main road wasnt disturbed.
Upon each security checkpoint, the policemen would swipe their hands across our body making sure no foreign item wasn't carried inside. Headphones, liquids, lighters, power-banks weren't allowed. There were atleast 10 checkpoints that I crossed, thus each time the policemen swiping their hands and making sure nothing gets through. Pindi boys being Pindi boys have made it a running joke at the stadium that some of them swipe their hands on us just for their own enjoyment.
Anyways, as you cross the final checkpoint, you have that feeling of finally making it. The aura of the Rawalpindi stadium is as such that its a petite stadium with green grass inside a city with very little greenery. Thus, upon entering it gives you paradise vibes. By 10:30, we had finally entered the encloursure.
As I entered the Sohail Tanvir enclosure with my friend, we spotted the Australian Goras in the enclosure whose pictures have been doing rounds on social media. My friend said lets sit near the goras maybe the cameras might catch us with them (chotay chotay khawab)
There were about 7 Australian foreigners in the enclosure, and I really felt proud that we had people from foreign land coming to Pindi stadium and watch the match with us in the cheapest enclosure of the stadium. Even goras prefer Rs.100 tickets over Rs.500 ones.
Alot of fans were going up to them and were getting their picture taken with them, and they kept on obliging. I think one of them was alittle annoyed with the soo many picture requests between the balls, but he didnt say anything and allowed the fans to click pics with them. I think this at the same time shows the hospitality and how we Pakistani fans like to make others feel important. So good on to Pindi fans!
Another thing which I really liked was that alot of females have started to come the stadium. Even in a patriarchal society, females were also coming in and that were good sights. Infact, there were even middle aged females that were also entering the stadium. I did witness one elderly women in the line with us, and yes she too did the 3.5 km walk.
But the best thing was that there were also children who had come with their mothers to watch the game. This is something I had never witnessed before, as mostly kids come with their fathers, but alot of mothers had also bought their children too. Thus, the crowd that had come was quite good and very diverse aswell. These sights arnt usual in Rawalpindi stadium.
The reason for having such a diverse age group crowd and a few foreigners was simple, AUSTRALIA was playing here. That's the effect that such a team has especially when its the full strength team that comes. People were there just to see the likes of Warner, Smith, Starc and Hazlewood. Even the likes of Shaheen, Rizwan, Babar have garner a fan following that people are now coming to watch.
Oh, and the cricket... The cricket was boring. As always, I had no idea what was happening, only getting a view when the bowlers threw or vary their speed of bowling followed by batsmen playing a shot. It was after I logged into Facebook that I realized that Sajid Khan was getting some good turn.
Yet I enjoy the game somewhat due to the crowd and being able to see these players very closely. The Australian fans had bought their Austral ian flags with them and upon every boundary they stood and fiercely waved that flag. PS, some local guy had bought in a Kashmiri flag
I had planned to stay their till lunch as had some other work to do aswell. As usual, the restaurants that do exists in the perimeters of the ground were shut down due to security reasons and the fans had to munch on expensive chips, ice cream, pepsi and chai.
As we left the stadium, Timmy and Binny were also roaming around, and were happily clicking pictures with the Pakistani fans. Some claimed to have gotten a picture with David Warner due to Timmy's resemblance to him.
Anyways, it was a good day, and hope fully more people get the opportunity to watch games from the stadium. Yes, the experience can improve if restaurants in the ground premises are operatable or have some kind of halal bars for fans to sit and enjoy halal pepsi and food.
Sitting in the ground I envied England fans in their Lords, Trent Bridge, Old Traffod Stadiums having those Sky commentary earpiece which allows them to understand what is happening in the game. Wish we can have such features as well.
Btw, PCB have allowed vendors inside the enclosure to sell Vuvuzelas, or what the locals call, peepreyaan. Go figure
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