Cricket has always found an iconic player in every era who helped to advertise the game around the world. Currently, it is Indian captain Virat Kohli who has left everyone in awe of his batting. Kohli is brilliant with the bat and his rise in the last few years has put him right up there with other cricketing greats.
The Indian batting star has a lot of cricket left in him, and he has already achieved his desired results. But that didn't hamper his hunger for the game. He is still going strong and looks unstoppable.
Kohli's game has gained a lot of fans which isn't just restricted to India. Across the boundary, Kohli has a fan named 'Chacha T20'.
Chacha T20, whose real name is Muhammad Zaman, is from Hafizabad in Pakistan. It won't be wrong to say the heart of both countries, India and Pakistan lies in common interest, which is cricket. Although the neighbors still have tension between them, cricket is something that brings them close every time.
"I have seen Kapil Dev, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Dilip Vengsarkar and other Indian cricketers play. However, Virat Kohli is just another level player. Whenever he plays, I get mesmerized by his batting, his passion for the game. Rohit Sharma is also just next-level player," he added.
Zaman wants the two countries to start playing cricket together again. "Like cricketers from Sri Lanka and other countries come and play in Pakistan, the Indian team should come to Pakistan and play so that the friendship between the two countries becomes strong," he said.
Chacha T20 has been a known face in the cricketing world since 2009 and has visited UAE to watch all the cricket matches.
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"I have traveled to almost every country in Asia. I have not missed a cricket match held in UAE since 1993. In 2009, Pakistan was playing against New Zealand in a T20I game when I came here, supporting our boys. I kept big mustaches and was then named Chacha T20," Zaman told IANS.
He was present at the opening ceremony of the third edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 league. His love for the game isn't restricted to a particular format.
"It's not just the T20 or a T10 game, even when Pakistan plays a Test or an ODI match here, I am always in attendance and make sure that I cheer for the boys."
Zaman travels on his own cost. "Mostly, I attend the matches on my own while sometimes the companies sponsor my trips and support me," he said.
"I have gone to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh twice. Wherever I get the visa, I make sure that I support Pakistan cricket and the team. I have not been able to get a visa to travel to India and watch cricket. But I do want to go there and celebrate cricket."
Currently, no Pakistan cricketer draws attention to Zaman. He has no favorites on the side. "I have seen Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Salim Malik play. Those cricketers who retired were like my brothers, and those who are playing now are like my sons. So, there's no favorite as such in the Pakistan team. However, I strongly admired the skills of Abdur Razzaq."
No Pakistan cricketers could make it to the Abu Dhabi T10 league this year because of Pakistan Cricket Board. They haven't provided NOC to the players to take part in the league. That disappointed Chacha T20 as he and other fans won't be able to watch popular names of Pakistan cricket like Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi.
"I believe the PCB must have taken this decision of not allowing the Pakistani cricketers to play in this league due to some valid reason while thinking about their good. But we cannot change that now. However, I am representing the Pakistan flag here."
(With IANS Inputs)
