There’s panic in the air

The first signs of ‘panic’ were heralded by the announcement that the price of tickets for the match at the Gaddafi Stadium have been reduced to half. As a friend answered my query on the availability of tickets for the Test: ‘‘Buy one, get 10 free!’’

A further sign was the strange decision of the PCB not to allow the media — print or electronic — anywhere near the pitch. What is there to hide? What can the media do if at the eleventh hour the curator and the management decide to change the character of the surface?

Shoaib Akhtar offered to pull out of the Lahore Test after Inzamam’s post mortem of his dismal performance at Multan left him depressed. Moin Khan and Shabbir are fighting injuries, while Saurav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan are out of the Test, the latter out of the tour.

It was indeed strange for Ganguly to admit, what I have always maintained. That it was a mistake to declare the Indian innings with Tendulkar 194 not out. What was mind boggling was that Ganguly said it was the ‘‘team’s mistake’’? Does the entire team take all the decisions? Is that not carrying democracy a bit too far?

Whatever the experts and pundits may say, I maintain that Tendulkar should have been given another 10 minutes; maximum three more overs to get those six runs. The time was not critical; it was the first innings with three days and a bit left.

There is also interest in the off-the-field activity. A foreign TV cameraman is reported to have been deported from Multan for unbecoming conduct. He should consider himself lucky to escape so lightly. Wasim Akram is in the news for the wrong reasons. Rashid Latif has been reported to the PCB’s disciplinary committee for pointing accusing fingers after the fourth ODI.

India are confident of the Lahore Test. In spite of the absence of Ganguly and Zaheer, they have ready and able replacements as Dravid and Yuvraj proved in Multan. The return of Nehra and the form of Kumble provide encouragement to the Indians. Chopra and Sehwag are hungry for runs, Dravid is due for a sizeable score while Tendulkar would be looking to settle a few scores.

The Pakistanis need to pull up their socks. It is the attitude and the temperament which requires an overhauling, not moaning about pitches and tosses. And if you do not take your catches, you are looking for trouble and inviting defeat. Hopefully, we will have a good match.The froth of the social side may have subsided somewhat but the friendly steps towards confidence-building will continue and Lahore is once again ready to play host to all and sundry. And they have five to six days of enjoyment.