Bad losers or gracious hosts?

India today not only lost the game without a semblance of fight but proved poor losers too. As Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq was speaking ...

India today not only lost the game without a semblance of fight but proved poor losers too. As Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq was speaking to Ravi Shastri during the awards presentation ceremony, the entire Indian team walked away.

While the entire Pakistan team came in time for the presentation ceremony, only skipper Dravid made it to the centre first. It was almost after five minutes that the other members of the home team trooped out to join in.

When asked about the team8217;s behaviour, skipper rahul Dravid later explaind: 8216;8216;Since the entire Pakistan team was getting themselves photographed with the trophy and the cameramen were pushing in, we had to leave. Any way, it was their Pakistan moment. It was no intention of giving disrespect to the Pakistan team.8217;8217;

Hard-Pressed

It was not just the general public that underwent a torrid time with the heavy security before making it to the Ferozeshah Kotla to witness the India-Pakistan match. Even for the covering journalists it was a new experience.

At every point, right from Gate No. 4 their entry point to the media centre, every journalist had to go through a thorough check-up by the security personnel manning the gates. T1he Media Passes provided by the DDCA was not enough; securitymen insisted on seeing individual identity cards of their respective offices before allowing them in.

This obviously upset some journalists who have been covering matches for a long time now at various centres. And once the journalists were in, there was no way they could get out as securitymen insisted that they won8217;t be issued Gate Passes.

Till almost noon, the mediapersons were not provided even a glass of water as securitymen refused to allow crates of water bottles to be carried into the stadium. Quite a novel experience for the 8216;most privileged8217;!

Broad View

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Match referee Chris Broad, on the other hand, was upset the way constant peek-a-boo into his cabin. Although entry into the area which also had media, TV and radio personnel was restricted and even those getting in were thoroughly frisked, Broad was put off by the manner in which some curious onlookers peeped into his cabin before moving away.

Broad then requested one of the DDCA volunteers to paste a piece of paper on the window glasses to prevent people from peeping in.

Security in cells?

Having no cellphones around can be a threat to safety sometimes. Like it happened in the old club-house pavilion on Sunday during India8217;s innings.

Huge banners by the sponsors were hung up on the third floor and with a stiff, continuous breeze the half-dismantled banners, with long iron nails, hung dangerously over the people sitting under the sun on the first floor. Despite repeated requests from concerned Delhi Police officials, the host association expressed inability to get the urgent message across due to no cell-phones around. Meanwhile, those sitting below kept their fingers crossed, waiting for someone to come and fix it up.