Sunday off for teams in Lanka

There is always an air of calm around Younis Khan regardless of where he is or what he is up to.

There is always an air of calm around Younis Khan regardless of where he is or what he is up to. And he is indeed an embodiment of equanimity whether it is while he is steadying the ship for Pakistan with a typically composed knock in the middle-order or taking his kid out for a stroll in a pram,like he was on Sunday evening looking dapper in a green t-shirt. The former Pakistani captain was not the only one relishing some much-required family-time though. Nor the only doting father on view.

A day after having played a starring role in a high-octane clash against Sri Lanka,skipper Shahid Afridis centre of attention was his little daughter as he enjoyed a quiet,private meal with his family. The younger members in the Pakistan camp,on the other hand,preferred to lounge around the team hotel and take it easy in their own respective ways. It wasnt entirely a day off for the Pakistanis though and earlier in the day,Afridi & Co had convened for a rather lengthy team meeting with coach Waqar Younis taking the charge.

Having gotten their World Cup campaign off on a very encouraging note with two convincing victories against Kenya and home team Sri Lanka,Pakistan have made all the right noises so far. And it is not surprising,when the teams veteran manager Intikhab Alam reveals that the mood in the camp is supremely upbeat. Indeed,the boys have been buoyed by the start weve made. They have combined very well so far and created a good environment. But it is a long tournament,and it is important that they are allowed to relax, says Alam.

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He adds that while the team management has planned group relaxation activities on non-match days for the players,it was also important to provide them with some time to rejuvenate after every intense match in the World Cup. The presence of their families,too,is proving to be a huge boost for the Pakistan team,believes Alam. These boys are on the road for a better part of the year. So we do allow their families to be with them for a while,which relieves a lot of pressure, says Alam,who was the manager of the team during Pakistans World Cup triumph in 1992.

The unprecedented and contentious gaps between matches in the World Cup may have garnered mixed opinions from around the cricketing world. But they seem to be allowing the coaching staff to give their teams enough time to recover after every match,and also judiciously allocate time for both work and rest. The Australians,who arrived in Colombo on Saturday,for example,cancelled their scheduled practice session on Sunday,and preferred to rest their heels within the confines of their hotel.

After his team’s two comfortable victories against Zimbabwe and trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand,skipper Ricky Ponting spent his evening sharing a few humorous moments with former teammate and Australias batting consultant,Justin Langer,and coach Tim Nielsen. And it was only the sudden bang that resulted out of one of the lamps in the coffee-place crashing to the floor that managed to knock Ponting temporarily out his laidback mood.

The junior members of the Australian team,meanwhile,got a taste of the unrivalled admiration that is bestowed upon cricketers in this part of the world. To their credit,though,Steve Smith and John Hastings did not disappoint even one of the many autograph/photograph seekers. The next match in Colombo will see hosts Sri Lanka taking on the debilitated Kenyans. But while Kumar Sangakkara & Co,too,decided to take the day off,probably still smarting from the defeat to Pakistan; so did the Kenyan team.