The Indian players have been stunned by the great reception in Pakistan as well. It’s a shame they are surrounded by so much security they’d probably enjoy it a lot more if they could move around more freely. Still, that’s what bad publicity does for a country…about time the record was set straight and typically it’s by ordinairy people not the politicians.
India bowled over by warm reception in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Sachin Tendulkar was emerging from the health club of a Lahore hotel when, from the corner of his eye, he spotted a teenaged Pakistani fan, standing transfixed in the distance. “Should I go talk to him?” the 18-year-old fan, aptly named Imran Khan after the former Pakistan captain, urgently whispered to a friend.
Tendulkar smiled at him, waved and walked towards the elevators before the awestruck youth could make a move. “Sachin is the greatest. He’s my hero,” Imran later told Reuters. “I’m so lucky I finally got to see him close up after watching him on TV for so many years.”
The economics student from Lahore is one of many Pakistani cricket lovers who revere India’s players despite the political rivalry between the countries. **The Indian team, who are in Pakistan for their first full series in more than 14 years, say they have been stunned by the affection showered on them since they landed in Lahore last week. “It’s been simply unbelievable,” said captain Saurav Ganguly, who led his team to a five-run victory in the first one-day international in Karachi on Saturday.
“I don’t think we’ve ever been treated so well, even in India. The whole experience has been very overwhelming. The hospitality we’ve received is astonishing.”**
Animosity between India and Pakistan has been intense since both gained independence from Britain in 1947 and the two countries have fought three wars. But locals say they want to ensure politics is kept out of cricket.
“We’ve been denied watching the Indian cricket team for too long now,” said Tahir Ahmed, a carpet-seller in Karachi. “Someone should tell the leaders of our countries that people on both sides of the border have no issues with each other.”
The sentiment was repeated over and over again, everywhere the Indian team went in Pakistan. “People have been so exceptionally warm, it’s almost unsettling,” Ganguly said. “We’d certainly not expected this.” Fans from India and Pakistan united during Saturday’s exciting opening match, when the visitors won by piling up a record 349 for seven. The Indian team were given a warm, standing ovation by the Karachi crowd, considered the most boisterous in Pakistan.
If the Pakistani reception afforded to India’s players and fans so far is anything to go by, the tour already seems to be breaking down barriers.
all these nice words for Pakies…even the flag. Get a grip girl 
whos this freshieeee! 
(although I’m having second thoughts on this whole going straight thing since 5abi posted that pic of those fit birds). Grrrrrrr
i,m not talking.
that takes the cake a indian dissing his own *