Younis's unwelcome homecoming

Poor Younis Khan. After all he and his team-mates endured in the Caribbean, the last thing he needed was a rude reception at Karachi airport. But that's exactly what he got, with a throng of fans and journalists barracking him. "He has brought disgrace to the country," said one fan, Mohammed Ahsan, "and he should stop playing cricket for Pakistan."

Younis was the second Pakistani to arrive home after Mohammad Yousuf, who somehow evaded the media swarm. Not Younis. "Bring a donkey for him and ask him to sit on it and roam him around the city," said Rana Majid. "Who will make me sit on the donkey?" Younis responded before creeping into a waiting vehicle by some relatives.

"Such things do happen in cricket, so why are you all so angry?" said one of the relatives. The car then sped off.