KARACHI, March 18: Angry Pakistani cricket fans took to the streets in protest and burned effigies of players on Sunday, hours after the side's shock defeat to Ireland in the Caribbean put the 1992 champions out of the World Cup.

Protesters held a mock burial of the team and the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in Hyderabad, while posters and effigy of captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was burnt in Multan.

Private television channels were flooded with e-mails and calls from angry fans, who wanted the team and the PCB to be held accountable for bringing shame on the country.

Many of them pleaded emotionally for the government to withdraw all awards given to the players and management and freeze their bank accounts.

“That is the least they can do for the shame and disgrace they have brought upon us. They must be made to pay for their spineless performance,” one protester, Yasir Ali, said in Multan.

In Hyderabad, Saleem Kazi, a club cricketer and protester taking part in the mock burial, said that as people celebrated when the team won, they had every right to vent their anger too.

Most Pakistanis have a passionate and emotional bond with cricket and the sport receives massive media exposure in a nation of 160 million people.

Television channels, radio stations have signed on leading players for their expert comments and planned to run special cricket programmes during the World Cup.

Big companies also launched World Cup campaigns to coincide with the tournament, with special advertisements urging the players to do well.

“Pakistan's exit means a big loss of revenue for all those who have invested in the World Cup,” Sarmad Ali, marketing head of the country's largest media group, said.

“With Pakistan now out, interest in the tournament will fall dramatically and that means financial losses for everyone,” he added.

Chief selector Wasim Bari, who is also under fire, said he had not slept all night and was in a daze after the Ireland match.

“This is a hugely disappointing result. I am shocked. I still can't believe we lost to Ireland,” Bari said.

He said that after things became normal in a few days, there would be changes in the team for sure. Cricket board officials declined to make comments, but one of them admitted privately the backlash from Pakistan's poor performance would be huge.

“We are expecting a lot of reaction. To go out of the World Cup by losing to Ireland... no one will tolerate,” he said.—Reuters