Half-way through Pakistan’s run-chase in the ICC Cricket World Cup match against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, the crowd at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium roared and chanted a famous Pakistani slogan.
“Jeetay ga bhaee jeetay ga, Pakistan jeetay ga [Pakistan will win],” they shouted in unison after a prompt from the venue’s DJ. “The way the crowd showered us with love, we felt like we were [playing] at home,” Rizwan cheerfully told reporters after the match on Tuesday.
Pakistan have been based in south India since their arrival in the country nearly two weeks ago, when large crowds gathered at the airport to welcome the team from across the border.
“The way people welcomed us at the airport and then chanted for us while we were on the ground – it left us speechless,” the Pakistani wicket-keeper batter said when prompted to comment on the reception accorded to his team.
“We have developed a bond of love with the people here.”
Videos posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, showed the crowd go up in rapturous applause when Pakistan completed their win. “With the crowd so close to the pitch and cheering so loudly, I felt like I was playing in Pindi,” Rizwan chuckled, referring to the compact cricket stadium in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
