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October 2007
10/22/07
Take me to the ball game - Cricket, that is!
10/4/07
Monday, October 22, 2007
3:54:00 AM EDT
Saman, I and the kids had a chance to go to Pakistan vs South Africa game last Saturday (Oct 20th, '07). I had bought two tickets to Imran Khan enclosure that is to the right of the pavilion. The tickets were Rs 1,500 each which is a bit expensive but not if you think about the value that you are getting out of it. Plus, the kids get in free.
We had Inayat drop us off at the stadium just before 12. By that time, two of Pakistani wickets had already fallen. Because of the recent blast in Karachi, they had upped the security arrangements and we could not take the car to the gate; we were dropped off at the entrance of the stadium at the round-about.
The view of the match is excellent from the enclosure. We settled into our seats. The place was about half full at that time. By the time we left the game, 40th over into the second innings, the place had a surplus of at least a 100 yelling and shouting fans.
I had not expected Zan to last the whole time but thanks to the 3 different releases of Spiderman movies which translated into at least 3 long versions of stories that I relayed to Zan, the hour long nap that he took in my lap, and numerous distractions at the stadium, he lasted the whole time we were there. Faraaz, of course, enjoyed the game.
Watching the game live has a lot of other add-ons that you normally don't get watching the game from home. For one thing, it is the people. And man, were there a varied bunch. From the trendy metrosexuals flaunting their iPhones and designer glasses, to the girls of Lahore (aj mela waikhaN nikli aan kuryaN Lore deaN;-) about whom I can say categorically that their presence could easily replace the "qum" that Jesus used to say to awaken the dead, to the innovative bunch who - in lieu of a dhol - used the empty Nestle bottles to beat against the seats to create the same affect (Pakistanis are Masters of improvisation), to the guys who were yelling "naraas" at the top of their voice.
Of course, there was a minor fight right in front of us that was promptly broken up - no big deal. Then there was good-natured back and forth banter between different groups of guys. For example, one person would yell:
"Mian day naray wajan gay
baqi saray nassan gay"
And another would shout: "Aaway hi aaway - Benazir, Benazir"
One guy in cap was quite vocal and he shouted (for whatever reason):
"Tera veer, mera veer - Hamid Mir, Hamid Mir"
The reply came promptly from a group of guys:
"Tera sala mera sala
(in Chorus) Topi wala topi wala"
The whole experience was quite exhilarating. Watching the match seemed, at times, a secondary act. Finally, when we could not take enough of the shouting, the drumming, and - more importantly - when I ran out of stories to tell Zan, we made our way, with a lot of difficulty, to the exit.
Overall, it was quite an experience and when I laid down to sleep, the whirring of fan (due to nice weather, AC is no longer needed in Lahore) was literally whispering "Jeetay ga bhai jeetay ga..."
Written by sameer1siddiqui Blog about this entry |
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3:54:00 AM EDT
Take me to the ball game - Cricket, that is!
Saman, I and the kids had a chance to go to Pakistan vs South Africa game last Saturday (Oct 20th, '07). I had bought two tickets to Imran Khan enclosure that is to the right of the pavilion. The tickets were Rs 1,500 each which is a bit expensive but not if you think about the value that you are getting out of it. Plus, the kids get in free.
We had Inayat drop us off at the stadium just before 12. By that time, two of Pakistani wickets had already fallen. Because of the recent blast in Karachi, they had upped the security arrangements and we could not take the car to the gate; we were dropped off at the entrance of the stadium at the round-about.
The view of the match is excellent from the enclosure. We settled into our seats. The place was about half full at that time. By the time we left the game, 40th over into the second innings, the place had a surplus of at least a 100 yelling and shouting fans.
I had not expected Zan to last the whole time but thanks to the 3 different releases of Spiderman movies which translated into at least 3 long versions of stories that I relayed to Zan, the hour long nap that he took in my lap, and numerous distractions at the stadium, he lasted the whole time we were there. Faraaz, of course, enjoyed the game.
Watching the game live has a lot of other add-ons that you normally don't get watching the game from home. For one thing, it is the people. And man, were there a varied bunch. From the trendy metrosexuals flaunting their iPhones and designer glasses, to the girls of Lahore (aj mela waikhaN nikli aan kuryaN Lore deaN;-) about whom I can say categorically that their presence could easily replace the "qum" that Jesus used to say to awaken the dead, to the innovative bunch who - in lieu of a dhol - used the empty Nestle bottles to beat against the seats to create the same affect (Pakistanis are Masters of improvisation), to the guys who were yelling "naraas" at the top of their voice.
Of course, there was a minor fight right in front of us that was promptly broken up - no big deal. Then there was good-natured back and forth banter between different groups of guys. For example, one person would yell:
"Mian day naray wajan gay
baqi saray nassan gay"
And another would shout: "Aaway hi aaway - Benazir, Benazir"
One guy in cap was quite vocal and he shouted (for whatever reason):
"Tera veer, mera veer - Hamid Mir, Hamid Mir"
The reply came promptly from a group of guys:
"Tera sala mera sala
(in Chorus) Topi wala topi wala"
The whole experience was quite exhilarating. Watching the match seemed, at times, a secondary act. Finally, when we could not take enough of the shouting, the drumming, and - more importantly - when I ran out of stories to tell Zan, we made our way, with a lot of difficulty, to the exit.
Overall, it was quite an experience and when I laid down to sleep, the whirring of fan (due to nice weather, AC is no longer needed in Lahore) was literally whispering "Jeetay ga bhai jeetay ga..."
Written by sameer1siddiqui Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | digg this
