Pakistan fans hold mock funeral after World Cup exit

KARACHI, (Reuters) - Angry Pakistan cricket fans smashed television sets and carried out a mock funeral after the national team lost to Australia in the World Cup quarter-finals in Adelaide yesterday.

Around 50 supporters in Multan mourned the death of Pakistan cricket and burnt bats and cricket equipment to express their disappointment.

The quarter-final, which began at 800 local time, was followed nervously by millions in the country with special screenings in public parks, schools, restaurants and hotels on a normal working day.

“Bangladesh can claim they were done in by poor umpiring but what excuse can the Pakistan team give expect they played rank bad cricket and couldn’t handle the pressure,” fan Munazza Jillani said at a school for special children in Karachi.

Bangladesh blamed poor umpiring decisions for their defeat by India in the second quarter-final.

Cricket analyst Aaliya Rasheed said the reaction of the people in some cities was understandable but said generally cricket fans had taken the defeat sportingly.

“I think our team was good enough to reach the quarter- finals and not beyond that. Give them credit for this given the number of injury problems we faced,” Rasheed said.

Pakistan were without top spinner Saeed Ajmal, fast bowler Junaid Khan and all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez throughout the tournament and leading fast bowler Mohammad Irfan missed the quarter-final.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan tried to take positives from the tournament.

“The quarter-final loss is disappointing, but what is heartening is that the team showed a lot of fighting spirit and character in trying to defend a low total against tournament favourite hosts Australia,” he said.

Khan said the board would give a fitting farewell to captain Misbah-ul-Haq and all-rounder Shahid Afridi who have now retired from one-day internationals.