Pakistan's captain Babar Azam with team director Mickey Arthur during a practice session.
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: Indian hospitality drew plenty of valid ire when they made the situation fairly hostile for the visiting Pakistan team, and it all began with them denying their fans and journalists visas for the World Cup.
Turns out, even though the fans and some of their journalists managed to make their way into the country, they have still felt intimidated by the security measures taken by the hosts. Naturally, it took Mickey Arthur to open up about the same as he said their campaign has come undone, in part, due to these heightened security conditions.
"What has been tough is the fact that we've been under a massive amount of security. And to be fair, I found it difficult. It's almost like we've been back in the Covid-19 times, where you were almost secluded to your floor and your team room," said Arthur on Friday. "So much so that their breakfast is in a separate room to everybody else."
Arthur noted that since their players have been unable to socialise as they are used to, a tournament of such gravity and such duration has been of concern.
"Our boys are used to being on the road. But when they're on the road, they've still been able to get out and have meals at different places, and get out on their own accord, and we haven't been able to do this time. That's been tough and stifling," he said.
Tight security cover was expected for the Pakistan team in India, given the history and diplomatic tension between the two nations. The hotels where the Pakistan contingent stays are on a 24-hour vigil to avoid any untoward incident.
Seeking some time to unwind Pakistan skipper Babar Azam had gone on a long drive last Sunday in Kolkata.
The South African said the team has tried to create some fun spaces within the walls of the hotel rooms but without so much effect as a real-time meeting with the outside world.
"It's like Groundhog Day. You have breakfast and if it's a non-training day, you're back to your room. We've tried to have sort of little fun team events within our team room. But there's only so much you can recreate," he said.
"I think the guys have been out three times - we've managed to do that with security, get them out to a different restaurant, just to give them a little bit of a taste of the outside world," he said.