Babar Azam hasn’t got his biryani but did get his long drive.
Under pressure and dealing with scathing attacks from all corners following four straight defeats in this World Cup, skipper Azam and his men may have done away with Calcutta’s famed biryani for the time being.
But Azam, his personal form and captaining abilities under the scanner, got some time out for a long drive and a short visit to the Eco Park late on Sunday evening.
Given the gruelling time Pakistan have had of late and the way they have been grilled both on and off the field, Babar did need a little time to unwind. Initially, he was supposed to visit Science City. The police and security personnel were getting ready to cordon off that entire area. But soon after, the plan changed.
“Actually, Babar wished to go for a long drive. So, it was suggested he go towards New Town as that would be a better option than Science City. The Eco Park falls along that route. So, they (Babar and two others from the Pakistan contingent) decided to spend a bit of time there as well,” a top police official, on 24-hour vigil at the JW Marriott Hotel, where the Pakistani contingent is staying, told The Telegraph. Opener Imam-ul Haq too joined Babar at Eco Park.
Not much time remains before Babar will again have to field questions shot at him by scribes at the news conference ahead of Pakistan’s clash against Bangladesh on Tuesday at the Eden Gardens.
For the record, Tuesday’s game will be Pakistan’s first at the Eden in seven years; the 2016 T20 World Cup was the last time they were here.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam about to board the team bus from the Calcutta airport to reach the hotel on Saturday. Sourced by The Telegraph
So, prior to Monday, whether he attends the news conference or not, a little bit of “me time” was something the Pakistan captain believed he deserved. Babar also had a pool session at the team hotel ahead of setting out for the drive. Keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, too, was there for a while.
Now, going back to biryani, it appears the Pakistanis are a little discomfited fielding questions on the Calcutta delicacy. “Team ki aisi haalat hai, ab kaise biryani khaayen! (With the team in such a situation, how can we have biryani). Aage chalkar dekhtein hain... Media bhi biryani ko itna hype de diya (We’ll see... The media also gave so much of hype to biryani),” Ammar Ahsan, who deals with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s digital aspects, said.
At the moment, Mediterranean kebabs, eggs and proteins are at the core of their menu. “They are following a particular diet chart now. At breakfast, they are having mostly eggs and proteins. Alongside that, Mediterranean kebabs and other such dishes are among items we’re preparing for them,” a chef at the Marriott said. The security here for Pakistan may not be as stringent and intense as it was in Hyderabad.
However, authorities were taking no chances; a red alert was sounded at the airport during the team’s arrival on Saturday evening along with a green corridor on their route along the Eastern Bypass. Pakistan had no practice session on Sunday, which meant the players had to stay confined to their hotel rooms. Early in the evening, opener Abdullah Shafique and middle-order batsman Saud Shakeel visited a Camac Street jewellery store, though Shadab Khan didn’t get permission to visit a shopping mall at Park Circus in the morning.
Overall, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the Pakistanis are enjoying their stay in Calcutta. “Bahut acchha lag raha Kolkata aakar (Feels very nice having come to Kolkata),” said senior middle-order batsman Iftikhar Ahmed. Opener Fakhar Zaman dittoed Iftikhar. “Badhiyaa lag raha hai aake (Feeling great being here).”
