Cricket holds a status similar to and close to religion for many in India and Pakistan. The fervour that ignites when these two teams face off in any tournament is a spectacle to behold. Among the passionate fans of this sport, one stands out Chacha Cricket, a renowned Pakistani cricket enthusiast.
Chacha Cricket, whose real name is Chaudhry Abdul Jalil, is a 73-year-old cricket fan hailing from Pakistan. According to reports, he embarked on a global tour to support the Pakistani cricket team in multiple years in the past. It’s said that he has been present at over 500 international cricket matches in stadiums across the world.
His first experience of an international cricket match was in 1969, at the Lahore Stadium, when he was 19 years old. The match was a face-off between Pakistan and England. From 1973 to 1996, he worked as an assistant foreman at a water pumping station in Abu Dhabi. However, in 1994, during the Austria-Asia Cup held in Sharjah, he left his mark in the world of cricket.
In 1996, the Pakistan Cricket Board extended an offer to appoint him as the official cheerleader of the Pakistan cricket team. The Chairman of PCB, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Bukhari, recognised his potential to inspire fans with his unwavering support.
During a match between India and Pakistan in 1986, when Javed Miandad struck a six, the ball landed near Chacha Cricket. His spirited cheers and playful banter brought him into the spotlight.
Reports suggest that he sold his house in Sialkot to travel to England for the 1999 World Cup, even though he didn’t have sponsorship from the PCB or any private backers. He once told Dainik Bhaskar, “I was once known worldwide as Chacha Cricket, but unfortunately, I fell victim to the political turmoil in Pakistan.”
He went on to explain that when a new chief took over the PCB in 1998, he was barred from accompanying the team to the World Cup in England. He added, “Determined to make my dream come true, I decided to take matters into my own hands.”