The General in his residence

The Indian cricketers are pleasantly surprised that General Pervez Musharraf remembers the names of each one of them, writes S. Dinakar.

Among the great charms of touring with the Indian team is an opportunity to interact with the fans, some of whom may have travelled thousands of miles to watch the action.

Rahul Kale, a London-based marketing executive with his roots in Pune, has more than just caught the happenings on the cricket field. He, in fact, travelled with the Indian team all the way to the Khyber Pass. "It was a great experience. All the Indian cricketers were clicking pictures. They all missed Anil Kumble. He has a keen interest in photography and would have loved the adventurous trip," Kale, 33, says. He was impressed with captain Rahul Dravid's knowledge of the topography. "He must be carrying a Lonely Planet guide book with him."

The Indian cricketers had a glimpse of the Afghanistan border areas from the last checkpoint in Pakistan. "Tendulkar had a long look through the binoculars," said Kale, who resides close to the hallowed Lord's ground, holds a British passport and happens to be the legendary Imran Khan's friend. "He gave me some references in Pakistan and his name works like magic here.

Some of the scribes, including the diarist, chose the road route from Peshawar to Islamabad. The van speeds along the modern two-lane motorway, roars over the historic river Jhelum. The driver, though, is hauled up for overspeeding — he had touched 160 kmph and the secret cameras and speed guns did not miss his indiscretion.

We finally reach Islamabad. The planned Pakistani capital with elegant boulevards and stately buildings is overlooked by the Margalla Hills. It is a pleasant city.

With successive defeats, in the Karachi Test and the Peshawar ODI, the Indians need to relax mentally. Some of them take to the golf links. A few journey to the holy Sikh shrines. A lunch at Imran Khan's residence on the outskirts of the city is also on the agenda. The mighty Khan is pleased that India coach Greg Chappell, captain Rahul Dravid and maestro Sachin Tendulkar have all responded to his invitation.

But then, the cricketing climate hots up. Indian captain Rahul Dravid takes objection to his Pakistani counterpart Inzamam-ul-Haq's comments in `The News' on his `obstructing the field' dismissal in Peshawar. Inzamam writes, "Honestly, in my personal opinion, the appeal was not made in a sporting manner. Instead, it just might have left a bad taste in my mouth."

The Indian captain responds to Inzamam's words. "In my opinion and the opinion of the umpires and the match referee, both of whom I spoke to, the Indian team did not act in any manner that was unsportsmanlike or against the spirit of the game. We had the option of taking up the issue before the relevant authorities, but in keeping with the relevance, the importance and the context of the series, we have decided to let the issue pass."

Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf meets both teams at his residence. It's a special occasion. The game should be played in the best of spirits, he says. The Pakistan President remembers the names of all the Indian cricketers and they are pleasantly surprised.

The Indians bounce back in the series after a strong batting display, with Virender Sehwag blazing away at the top, and Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh proving rock-solid. The cricket caravan moves back to Lahore. Around four thousand Indian fans have crossed the Wagah border for the game. Most of them are at the Gaddafi Stadium, cheering their team. But then, disappointment sweeps through the Indian ranks when they hear the news that Virender Sehwag (shoulder injury) will not be playing in the match. There is excellent camaraderie between the Indian and the Pakistani fans. There is a festive air in the Gaddafi stadium.

Telugu cine superstar Venkatesh is on his first visit to Pakistan. A keen cricket lover, he cannot wait for the match to commence. Wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the Hurricane that sweeps the Pakistanis away.

His thundering blows towards the end shut the Pakistanis out. It is an astonishing onslaught and earns appreciation from President Mushrraf at the prize distribution ceremony.

Chief curator Agha Zahid is a winner too for preparing a wonderful ODI wicket. There is bounce and seam movement for the pacemen all through, while the batsmen are also able to play strokes. "Preparation of a cricket pitch is a complex exercise. Here two plus two does not always add up to four. There are a lot of variables involved.

It's a science. We were hampered earlier in the series by the fog and the wet, cold weather. Now you see the difference," he says. Zahid is an opener with a fair domestic record, who played a lone Test at home against the West Indies in the mid-70s.

His international career might have been brief, but his passion for cricket has been an enduring one.