A great victory

I

Sir,

The victory of Indian Cricket team is great. When Indian team landed in Australia experts gave little chance to India. But the way Indians have played this winter in Australia has ringed alarm bells for Aussies.

By lifting the Commonwealth Bank Cup at Brisbane India has proved once again that if there is any team in the world that can beat Australia not only in cricket but in the mind game it is only India. Previously too, India had stopped the roller coaster advance of Aussies by creating a record of most successive wins in a test match and now it has again proved a thorn in Aussie flesh.

This tour will be remembered for many bad moments. The way Australians in their proud and haughty ways hurled abuse and nick names on our team members was deplorable in the extreme. The Harbajan episode will not be forgotten. The latest 'obnoxious weed' statement of Hayden will also will not go down well. But Indians have given a befitting reply with but and the ball. We have shown that Team India has guts, will and killing sense. The victory will start a new era for Indian cricket. A young team under a young captain ably guided by experienced players. We should keep our focus on the future. Team India has to step into the shoes of world champions. They have every thing in them. For the present we congratulation them for their victory.

Yours etc...
I S Jamwal
Panjtirthi
Jammu

II

Sir,

Victores in sports come and go. Whenever there is a sports contest one team has to win and the other has to loose. There cannot be two victors or even two loosers. That is the obvious.

When India was playing at Brisbane against Australia in the Common Wealth Bank Tournament India was playing for its pride and future. If they lost then at the third final at Adelaide things could have turned the other way. Because with a win Australia would have found new confidence. But the Team India played as a unit. Yet again the batting failed in the start. Robin Uthapa and Gambir got out cheaply. But Sachin again proved to be the saviour. He batted like a champion and reserruted the Indian Team's chances. It was sad that he missed yet another ton. A century at Brisbane would have been a project icing. But it was not to be. He must have got at least fifty one day tons but his regular habit of getting out in ninetees has been a sad tale.

However the team scored some runs. But before Aussies came out to bat everybody was having fingers crossed. People thought that we were thirty or forty runs behind the target. The only way lift was to bowl to a plan. Credit should be given to Dhoni that he keeps faith in his players. His faith in Parveen Kumar resulted in his four wicked haul that included star batsmen Gilchrist and Ponting. When Bajji removed Symonds it was curtains for Oz. This victory marks a high point in Indian cricket. The time is up for celebrations.

Yours etc...
Ranjeet Singh
Airport Road
Jammu

Zardari statement

Sir,

The views expressed by Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of Pakistan People's Party has disturbed many a people in the valley.

While giving his comments on the future of Indo Pak relations, Mr. Zardari said quite candidly that time has come when we should not keep the relations between India and Pakistan hostage to Kashmir issue. It seem that in the new leadership that is emerging in Pakistan there is a visible change. The politicians, intellectuals and common may on the street in Pakistan have realised that there is greater need to maintain and pursue better relation with Pakistan.

The rise of fundamentalism and recent killing of Benazir has brought a slow realisation in that country that Pakistan will fail as a State of non state actor who are multiplying fast in Pakistan are not marginalised and neutralised. People in our country are pinning hopes on the new Government when it takes over the reigns of the Govt. in Pakistan that it will take steps to dismantle the terror infrastructure in the country.

Pakistan is in a piquant situation. Now or never is the case for her. If the new emergent leaders give a new impetus to foster better relations with our country then there is hope that Pakistan will live peacefully with itself. It cannot harp upon the Kashmir issue for so long a time. The economy of Pakistan is in ruins. A recent survey showed that only Ambani brother can purchase all stocks listed in Pakistan and still have billions to space. Now leadership seems to have realised that only economics matter. Let us hope they put some thing into practice too.

Yours etc...
Ashutosh Mehra
Sainik Colony,
Jammu