Friendly sports: Different game, same result

The cricketers came, saw and conquered, and had fun along the way. The hockey players aren8217;t far behind. When India8217;s junior hocke...

The cricketers came, saw and conquered, and had fun along the way. The hockey players aren8217;t far behind. When India8217;s junior hockey team returns home from here, they will be carrying, along with the Junior Asia Cup they won today, a bagful of memories 8212; and piles of CDs and DVDs 8212; of a landmark trip here.

8216;8216;It8217;s just like home. Though none of us has ever toured Pakistan before, the country, its people and environment don8217;t seem at all new for us8217;8217;, said Indian junior captain Sandeep Michael, admitting the players had misconceptions about Pakistan.

8216;8216;Since we had never come to Pakistan, we had some fears. But not being recognised by the public can sometimes prove a blessing 8212; and even when someone got to know our identity they spread their arms to welcome us,8221; said team coach Harendra Singh.

Singh8217;s parents had migrated to India from Peshawar but he didn8217;t get a chance to visit his birthplace. 8216;8216;May be next time. This tour has opened the way and we hope that bilateral hockey starts once again so that we get opportunities for people-to-people contact like we had on the cricket tour,8221; he said.

What they had was the opportunity to shop 8212; and they did. The main attraction was CDs of Mehdi Hassan8217;s ghazals and Nusrat Fateh Ali8217;s qawwalis. Some bought fabric and bangles for sisters or companions, some leather jackets for their own comfort. Penalty corner expert Sandeep Singh led the players8217; shopping spree with over 25 CDs of Nusrat and others. 8216;8216;Relaxing at home to the sounds of Nusrat8217;s songs 8212; that8217;s enough to keep me happy8217;8217;, he said.

Though the players were reportedly a little uncomfortable with the late-night dinners, team manager Ramachandran said they were looking forward to another tour of Pakistan. 8216;8216;We are looked after so well here that all the players want to be part of another tour.8217;8217;

Off the field, just like with the Indo-Pak cricketers, players share vibes and are very cordial. 8216;8216;They Indians are like our brothers and off the field there are no hostilities, though on the pitch we are bound to be hostile8217;8217;, said Pakistan captain Shakil Abbasi, whose parents are from Jallandhar.

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And on an official dinner Wednesday night, both teams showed remarkable unity by sitting with each other. 8220;Pakistan and India are two great nations and they cannot be kept apart by anyone,8221; said Pakistan coach Asif Bajwa.