HYDERABAD: People monitoring activity across the border are likely to witness incessant chatter as the Pakistanis turn their attention to their cricket team's performance in the World Cup.
If social media reactions are anything to go by, they have been impatient in chastising their team for losing both their warm-up matches -to New Zealand and Australia -in the lead-up to the tournament, just as they were fulsome in their praise for the welcome and hospitality accorded to the Pakistan team on arrival here.
Their fan support, or the lack of it as skipper Babar Azam made his point during the Captains' meet in Ahmedabad, is likely to weigh more on Pakistan's mind than the mismatch they are likely to encounter in the form of the Netherlands in their opening fixture.
The Pakistanis should be knowing the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium like the back of their hand by now, for they have trained, played and received so much support here ever since they set foot on Indian soil after seven years.
The nature of the contest against the Netherlands here on Friday notwithstanding, it will give the one-time champions an opportunity to prepare for sterner tests, beginning with their match against Sri Lanka here on October 10 and then the big one against India in Ahmedabad on October 14.
It was Sri Lanka who knocked out Pakistan in the Asia Cup and Azam hopes his openers get back to form. The team reckons Fakhar Zaman is an impact player, but he needs to shed his inconsistency and though Imam-ul-Haq averages more than 50, he'll have to go at a faster strike rate.
