Smoke without fire douses sleep

The Canadian and Irish players were spared the ordeal as they were on way to their morning training sessions when the fire threat was detected 8 a.m.. The initial atmosphere of anxiety died down gradually as the hotel officials informed that the smoke was because of a chemical leakage and the evacuation was just a precaution. But since the fire department8217;s okay was mandatory, the guests had to spend their time out in the open for nearly four hours.

Three persons with burning sensation in their eyes were moved to the hospital.

Soon it became an informal pyjama party at the parking area as players of rival teams joked about the forced early morning jog. But trust Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq to be deadpan in a crisis. 8220;Fire, wire kuch nahin hai, main to namaaz karke baitha tha, bus thoda smoke aya hai kahten hain. Koi masla nahin hai,8221; he said.

Similar messages, though not all in the same nonchalant manner as Inzamam8217;s, were being relayed back home in Afrikaans, differently accented English, Hindi, Pushtun and various other languages.

Shahid Afridi, the carefree Pakistani all-rounder, was seen explaining to people back home that 8220;sab khariat hai,8221; as news of the morning misadventure spread. Media manager of the South African team Gordon Templeton gave an idea of his team8217;s mood: 8220;These things can happen anywhere. It8217;s life and that8217;s how we are taking it,8221; he said while standing in the middle of a pack of South African players calling home.

However, the frequently asked questions outside the hotel were: What were you doing when the alarm was sounded? What have you left behind in the room?

Pakistan leggie Danish Kaneria was wondering about the cash and his passport left in a bag in the room. But Pakistan8217;s ICC elite panel umpire Aleem Dar was smiling with a compact bag tucked under his arm. 8220;All the cash and documents are here,8221; said the man famous for taking tough decisions in crunch situations.

Gradually, the breakfast-less late risers were taken to a few rooms on the ground floor where Pakistanis were seen busy breaking eggs and frying omelettes for themselves. A hotel official said: 8220;They all seem quite hungry. One of them quite sleepy too.8221;

Mohammad Sami, the late replacement in the Pakistani squad, flew in late last night and was in deep sleep when asked to run out of the hotel room. 8220;I have hardly had any sleep for the last 24 hours,8221; he said.

Sami reached Trinidad Yasir Arafat also was on his way, despite neither having official clearance to play, adds agencies. Arafat was in transit from Dubai.

Computer analyst Peter Johnson, the lone man from the Irish squad at the hotel, had a different problem. 8220;I was working on some videos that the coach wanted for the post-nets session this afternoon. I don8217;t think I will be able to complete my job,8221; he said.