August 14  
Pakistanis expect a win on their Independence Day

TANGIERS: To add festivity and glamour in the Independence Day celebrations, Pakistan team will be all out to beat Sri Lanka tomorrow to give the nation a perfect gift on that very special day, feel the Pakistani community living here.

In Tangiers, the port city of the tiny Islamic kingdom , a small Pakistani community mostly engaged in trade business activities, feel that a win against Sri Lanka on August 14 will certainly double their joy and they will be taking it (victory) as an ideal gift.

"Our team plays on independence day and we want to see them winning," said Syed Mudassar Shah, a Pakistani living in France and is here to watch the entire tournament with some of his cousins, based in Tangiers.

All of them observe that Pakistan has all the necessary potential and talent to beat Sri Lanka as they did almost three months ago at Sharjah.

"Our team is the best in the world and we expect a lot from them, no matter with whom they play," they said.

Most importantly the Pakistani team has a strong backing of their local supporters who, no doubt were small in number, chanted slogans throughout the match in favour of Pakistan team which lost to South Africa in the opener of the Morocco Cup Monday.

Their enthusiasm is an extra motivation for the team, acknowledged most of the members of the Pakistan team.

"The way they raised slogans in favour of us we are delighted and really feel encouraged," said Wasim Akram.

"We have to win tomorrow to live up to the expectations of the people who will not only be here but watching us throughout the world on TV on independence day," he said.

Similar sentiments were expressed by other players of the team including captain Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Imran Nazir and Abdul Razzaq.

In Morocco cricket is a newly born game and without a proper introduction. 

Most of the people do not even know that such a high profile tournament is taking place.

Some of those who came to see the match Monday were not even aware about the basics of the game and asked sports writers covering the tournament about the certain rules and regulations.

But Cricket Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) has a untiring pledge to introduce and promote this game on the same pattern they did at a desert venue Sharjah.

A beautiful arena surrounded by rolling hills and cool temperature and pleasant wind will be added advantages for motivating top teams of the world to this center as well as cricket loving people from nearby European countries and also from England, the house of cricket.