October 20, 2006	Friday	Ramazan 26, 1427

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JAIPUR, Oct 19: The Pakistani team, after winning the hearts of the Pink City left for Mohali on Thursday morning to play New Zealand in a Group B match scheduled for October 25.

After India, Pakistan was easily the most popular team with the Jaipur public. Even former Indian cricketers and commentators were taken by surprise as the packed to the capacity stadium cheered every shot during the Pakistan run chase against Sri Lanka.

Though the support for Pakistan team from the public might have surprised people in the match against Sri Lanka, but it is certainly not the first time it has happened. Even during a warm-up tie against Rajasthan, the crowd wanted the Pakistanis to win.

Former Pakistan skipper Rameez Raja, who has a special place for Jaipur in his heart as he had scored his Test century here way back in 1987, said: "This was as if the Pakistan were playing on their home turf. I am pleasantly surprised by this great support for the Pakistan team."

The popularity of the Pakistan team can be gauged from the fact that even a RSS-run school, Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan, invited them to practice on their grounds where after the training session the Pakistan team offered collective prayers led by Younis Khan.

On Wednesday night, a local jeweller offered a 40 per cent discount to Mohammed Yousuf on a diamond-gold necklace worth Rs100,000 which the player bought for his wife.

On Wednesday also, an intelligence officer on his own initiative took Faisal Iqbal to the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer, 80km from here, after the young player told him that it was his mother’s wish that he should go and offer prayers at the dargah.