MULTAN, May 5: Inzamamul Haq, the Pakistan cricket captain, was accorded a rousing reception when he arrived in his hometown on Thursday. However, a few days ago Inzamam came here on a low-key visit to offer ‘fateha’ at the grave of his mother and inquire after an ailing friend besides distributing sweets on the birth of his third child — a boy — but his ardent admirers wanted to organize a reception in his honour in a befitting manner.

The reception was jointly organized by the district government and the local cricket association.

Although, the gathering to receive the national hero at Multan airport was thin but when the welcome procession entered the city and started passing through the markets, more and more people became part of it.

The traders showered rose petals on Inzamam’s motorcade and garlanded him at various bazaars. After passing through Cantonment bazaar, SP Chowk, Nawan Shehr and Kalma Chowk, the procession reached the Multan Arts Council where Inzamam was crowned in a splendid ceremony.

Later, the Pakistan skipper addressed a gathering of the local business community at the Multan chamber of commerce and industry. He also participated in the ‘guftagu’ programme of the local press club.

Speaking on the occasion, Inzamam said in the present-day competitive cricket, a player had to be fit 100 per cent to find a place in the side. He claimed that it was the decision of the selection committee to overlook paceman Shoaib Akhtar for the coming tour of West Indies.

“Not even physically but a player has to be ‘fit’ in behaviour as well,” he remarked.

Inzamam admitted that fielding was the weakest department of his team and boys had to give special attention to this aspect during the Caribbean tour.

He said spinners would play an important role in the West Indies series given the pitches being currently prepared there.

He reiterated that key to Pakistan’s success lay with teamwork rather than on individual performances. “Pakistan won all those matches India in which each and every player of the team performed.”