It wouldn’t have surprised me to see Shoaib Akhtar being thrown a dinner party by his fans – or any other cricket star for that matter – but seeing a fan being entertained by other fans for being a more dedicated enthusiast was something that didn’t really sink in.
Such was the case when I happened to find at some restaurant near Tariq Road the renowned Chaudhry Abdul Jalil, famously known as Chacha Cricket – the man in the long green kurta and white shalwar – being treated by a team of youngsters in a time when it’s really not easy getting money out of your dad’s pocket as the country’s economy is currently frayed. These young lads, however, showed their appreciation by spending their pocket-money to make Chacha take pride in being a true Pakistani cricket fan.
Seeing these guys having fun, I couldn’t suppress my urge to go and join them. After puking my guts up, I walked up to their table, and contrary to what I had anticipated, I was given a warm welcome by them all, especially the 63-year-old Chacha who stood up and gave me a big hug.
When I asked Chacha how he felt at being entertained by all these ‘sub-fans’, he said, “These kids make me proud at showing my support for the Pakistani team all my life.” When asked if he feels disappointed with the Pakistani team’s inconsistent performance, the committed supporter – who has the reputation of being a cricket fanatic for attending over 600 live games – revealed his humorous take on the question by saying, “Being a Pakistani cricket fan sometimes reminds me of the battered wife syndrome. You get beaten down, but you keep coming back. However, you’re given just enough to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, just enough to ensure your devotion, but then you’re inevitably and sorely disappointed.”
By the time Chacha finished answering my question, his hosts and I were laughing so hard that we could barely breathe. Some other customers at the restaurant were also drawn to us by that time. Some of them even started dragging their chairs towards our table. When I asked the hosts what was it that made them treat Chacha, they said almost in chorus that they wanted to support Chacha for his incessant cheering over the years for our national team. When asked what distinguishes Chacha from the rest of the fans, one of the hosts said, “Chacha is not just a fan, he’s a few notches above a fan and that’s when a person becomes a fanatic. Every country has its fanatics, some of whom have become legends. Our legend is Abdul Jalil whom we fondly call ‘Chacha’.”
While talking about the state of cricket in Pakistan, Chacha said the passion of cricket is gradually diminishing as teams from around the world are unwilling to come to our country for playing international matches. “I pray that the situation in my country improves so that cricket doesn’t fade away,” he added.
He said he remembered the unfortunate day when he was on his way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of the second test match when gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team.
Referring to his ability to garner enthusiasm of cricket crowds, he said once 70,000 people heeded to his call in Pakistan. “Even Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan cannot muster that much support. I owe this to cricket. Cricket is my life, my passion. I can live without food, but I can’t live without cricket,” Chacha concluded.
Shoaib may be Mr Popular, but cricket fans also do the ‘Cha-cha-cha’
