Indian players shop in Peshawar

The Indian cricketers, who have been surrounded by a tight security cordon on their ongoing tour of Pakistan, ventured out of their hotel rooms in Peshawar on Thursday night to indulge in some shopping for the first time since crossing the border.

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Ten members of the team, including batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, went to the Kisakhani Market, located near the team's hotel, mainly to buy exquisitely designed carpets which are quite famous in Peshawar.

A large number of locals gathered at the shopping complex to have a glimpse of their heroes, who have been accorded a warm welcome in all the cities they visited so far.

Because of the large crowd in the shops, the players were taken to a carpet factory nearby from where they purchased carpets. Many of the players also bought shoes.

Peshawar, the capital city of North West frontier province, was originally scheduled to host a Test match but the Indians refused to play there citing security concerns. The Indians were advised by the government to minimize their stay in the city because of its proximity to the Afghanistan border.

As a result, the Indians flew into the city just a day before the match and will leave for Lahore, the venue of the fourth one-dayer, immediately after the match.