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Miraz · #20 March 18, 2007, 05:09 PM

Here's a related news

Quote:

Fans vent ire: Protests against Indian cricket team

Agencies Patna/Ranchi/Ahmedabad, Mar 18: The Indian cricket team's dismal performance against Bangladesh in its opening World Cup match spraked protests by cricket enthusiasts here today.
A protest march made its way through the busy Fraser Road and disgruntled fans burnt posters of some players, including Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. They also shouted slogans against the team.
Reports of protests also came in from other parts of the state capital.
India lost by five wickets to Bangladesh yesterday in one of their worst performances in the World Cup.
Irked by Team India's dismal performance in the ongoing cricket World Cup in the West Indies, fans in the city today staged protests and denounced the humuliating loss to minnows Bangladesh.
Burning effigies of captain Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag and even Sachin Tendulkar, the protestors shouted slogans against the team.
"They have betrayed the faith of the entire nation. Players like Sehwag should not be taken in the team," said an angry protestor, who joined others near the Gujarat College cross roads to demonstrate.
The protestors were, however, full of praise for Sourav Ganguly, who stood his ground and was the only one to cross 50 runs in the former champions's loss in the opening tie of the cricket's most prized tournament.
"Dada (Sourav) is the real champ. He was put down by the team management and many people. But given a chance he has risen to the occassion," said Hardik, another protestor.
Dhoni's effigy burnt
A group of people today burnt cricketer M S Dhoni's effigy near his under-construction house here to protest his performance in India's opening game in the World Cup against Bangladesh.
About two dozen people gathered near the house and set alight the effigy on which Dhoni's poster had been pasted. The jeering people shouted slogans and asked the government to take back the plot of land allotted to the player.
Dismissing the protest as a stray incident, Superintendent of Police (city) Richard Lakra said some people just shoved some bricks that were kept at the site for building the house.
"The house under construction is complete upto the plinth level," he said, adding police were keeping a watch near the site and at Dhoni's house at Mecon here.
Expressing displeasure at the incident, former Bihar Ranji Trophy skipper K V P Rao said cricket was after all a game.
"Real fans should support the team now, as it was only the first match and Team India has a good chance to advance in the World Cup," Rao said.
Another former international, Randhir Singh, observed that fans anywhere have high expectations from their favourite teams and like to watch them win always.
Saroj Kumar, a die-hard Dhoni fan, said the handful of people who joined the protest only wanted "cheap publicity".

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