Pakistanis abuse returning cricketers
Members of the Pakistan cricket team have arrived home to a hostile reception from fans disappointed about their defeat in the final of the World Cup in England on Sunday.
They left Karachi airport under police guard as a crowd of several hundred shouted abuse and accusations of malpractice.
At a news conference, the team manager, Zafar Altaf, compared their treatment with that given to the South Africans - who, he pointed out, had been welcomed home as heroes after being knocked out in the semi-finals.
Asked about unsubstantiated charges of match-fixing against his players, Mr Altaf angrily declined to comment. Following England’s early exit from the World Cup, the selectors have appointed British of Indian origin Nasser Hussein, who was born in India, as captain of the side to replace Alex Stewart.
Apart from losing the world cup, Pakistan also lost to arch rivals India and Bangladesh.