BHUBANESWAR 14-Dec-2012 174
Odisha`s Pankaj Bhue and Muhammad Jaffer Iqbal, two members of the World Cup winning Indian blind cricket team, were accorded a rousing reception here at the Biju Patnaik Airport on their return home from Bangalore today. A procession, carrying the two visually impaired cricketers in an open jeep, passed through different squares of the city.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik felicitated the the duo with mementoes at the State Secretariat later in the evening. Bhue, who hails from Bargarh district, put up impressive performance in the final against arch-rivals Pakistan, bagging three wickets. India beat Pakistan by 29 runs in the title clash to avenge their defeat earlier in a league match.
Bhue performed consistently well in all the seven matches he played in the World Cup, while Iqbal of Bhubaneswar played six matches before being rested in the final. ``After beating Pakistan in the final, all the players of the Indian team cried in joy. It was a dream come true it will remain etched in the memory for the rest of my life,`` said an elated Iqbal.
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PHOTO: Pankaj Bhue (L) and Muhammad Jaffer Iqbal with their trophies in Bhubaneswar on December 14, 2012.
