KARACHI: “We came prepared for a win and plenty of sales today. After all the opponents were minnows and Sarfraz was playing,” said Mohammad Ahsan, selling the light-green Pakistan cricket team jerseys at Zainab Market here on Sunday.

Young boys accompanied by their fathers stopped at the various shops in the market with the shirts on display to ask their prices. There were different qualities and rates.

“Well, they are more reasonable now. Before our first match against India several sports shops were even asking Rs1,700 for an original CA shirt but now after landing on the ground with a thud, they are around Rs1,500,” Ahsan said.

According to Mohammad Asif, who jokingly clarified that he had “absolutely nothing to do with that [cricketer] Mohammad Asif “, the other shirts, not marketed by the official makers, cost far less. “There are some children’s sizes that cost between Rs300 and Rs400. And grown-ups’ are also available for Rs600.

Getting the smallest size for his baby Waleed, Mohammad Khalid said he hoped to see his little boy grow up to become a cricketer who’d play for Pakistan someday. “I am crazy about the game myself but thought of getting a jersey for my boy first,” the father shared.

Zainab Market did roaring business on Sunday selling the jerseys as it being Sunday most sports goods shops were closed. Still there were five or six open at Lighthouse on M.A. Jinnah Road, where the jerseys on display gently swayed in the breeze attracting customers.

“There are various manufactures such as HA and GA with differences in the varieties. Of course, the original shirt from CA is the official one and hence costs more but even there we have two varieties,” said Babar Hussain at Lighthouse.

“The Pakistan team wear the CA shirts with black logo whereas most from the original manufacturer that are available in the shops here have a white logo. Then also the shirts here are all half-sleeve but the team have sleeveless, full-sleeve shirts, too, which are not released in the market,” he added.

Of the varieties available in the shops here the cheapest are the ones with a plain back and no logo. Others are printed at the back but have no number or player name. Then for another Rs100 the shops also offer an additional service for screen printing your name at the back. Besides the jerseys, the shops are selling P-caps for Rs150 though the light-green ones that match the team jerseys cost Rs200.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2015

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