I must admit I expected the Aussies to turn out in small numbers for the test series against Pakistan. But there were good crowds every day, which kind of put Pakistan’s abysmal turn-outs for the 5 day game at home to shame. even against India, Pakistani crowds failed to turn up in the test matches despite it being a huge match after a long absence.
It’s great to see the game being supported so well in both England and Australia for test matches. It used to rile me that Pakistan only got to play mini-test match series abroad but it’s clear that it’s all we deserve, as our own supporters don’t have any appetite for it.
Test cricket following around the world has been fantastic in recent times, baring Pakistan, we see good crowds turning up at all other venues, in the Carribean, in South Africa, in New Zealand, in India, in Sri Lanka, even in Bangladesh. It is just down right shameful that in Pakistan we don’t get enough crowds - I don’t think the game is properly advertised here - there is a lot of interest in how we perform (if you see the editorials they are are full of people writing in to tell how dissapointing our performances have been and how angry some people are about that) but there just seems to be a total lack of interest in actually going out there to see the proceedings - may be that’s got to do with how the instadia services are in some of our grounds - I’ve been to the NSK and believe me the lavotries there were totally unuseable. There have been improvements made in recent times but I still don’t think we are at par with the world standards. Something must be done though. Pakistan performing well in test cricket should help increase attendences as well. And inversely crowds turning up to support Pakistan in tests will also help team morale.
Anyway, good to see that the Aussies will support cricket in every form (and England too considering football is the main sport of the nation!)
I think you’ve missed the fact that Australia’s team doesn’t disappoint its fans and usually does well against any other team… hence the fans pour out in large numbers to back up their team… this “feel good” factor went missing in Pakistan after the team started performing poorly against India – as soon as the team started playing better, there was an upsurge in spectatorship.
I see it as a reciprocal issue – the spectators buck up their teams more if the team is expected to make them feel good about it !
hmm i think u'll find that in any major sporting event... hmm no in any sporting even, aussies will turn up in hundreds... we're an extremely competitive and sport crazy nation.. hence the massive turnouts..
but u may have noticed, the crowds arent as big when the game is between windies and Aus.. actually i kinda found that in yesterday's game...
Boxing day was packed!! regardless of what day you went to see it.. totally awesome! obviously i went to the first day :D
aaah cant wait till the final... Inshallah pak will be playing
proudpakistani, if u saw the security and the amount of police at one of these games.. u'd not want to even step outta ur chair!! honestly.. u do anything and they take u out...
usually at the games, u have people throwing beach balls around.. if they catch u... u get taken out straight away!
Actuallly sadzz, the last game in Sydney, i saw it live. And it seemed like there were more Pakistanis than Australians there. I know i am exagerrating it, but still there were alot of Pakistani supporters. And its good they have security, Pakistanis are very jazbaati anyways. And when you go to see the finals inshaAllah make sure you post pics too.
^ yeah, sydney has a lot more pakistanis than melbourne.. thats prob one of the reasons :) haha yeah i know how jazbaati they are... but u know what, the cameras only make u believe that there are a lot more of them...
yeap, Inshallah if i go, I will post pics.. It'll be the only pakistani one day being played here as well, so i can just imagine how many pakistanis, indians and sri lankans will be turning up to support them.. its awesome really
Actually that reminds me…forget about Pakistanis; i saw some Bengalis with their flags jumping up and down at Afridi’s shots at that game also…I guess everyone wants to see Australia lose. InshaAllah when you go to see the game in melbourne, we will win.
yeah, the thing with us desis here is that.. it doesnt matter which asian team is playing, u take ur flag and start flying it around... no matter what game ur at, ur bound to find a huge crowd of sri lankans with their flags and drums..
and brit based pakistanis’ are a major credit to pakistan. u should see the greenery when pak tour here, headingley and lords espeically r full of pakistanis, flags waving, horns’ blazing, face painted with pak flags+ some azad kashmir flags its’ quite a picture.
its’ quite a picture.
