Kolkata: “The hatred between India and Pakistan is due to politics. Being a Pakistani, I am telling you that India are favourites this Saturday,” he says. He is no cricket pundit, only a cricket lover.
Mohammad Bashir – originally from Karachi but based in Chicago – is the current mascot for the Pakistan cricket team after ‘Chacha Cricket’ and is currently here for the arch-rivals’ much awaited clash in the ICC World Twenty20 on March 19 at Eden Gardens.
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“India took it easy against New Zealand and lost under pressure. Pakistan will look to take advantage of their pressure after good show against Bangladesh,” adds the 63-year-old, who believes cricket should be kept aside from political skirmishes.
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But Mahendra Singh Dhoni will never falter under stress. If Pakistan wins, it will be a chance victory. This team isn’t likely to win against a strong side like India. People in Pakistan may feel bad with my comment but one need to accept that this Indian team is very compact. Pakistan cannot beat this team and reach the final,” says Bashir.
Indian fans will be surprised to learn that Bashir Chacha (fondly called) is an admirer of Dhoni and knows him personally.
“To me, cricket is cricket and there is no India-Pakistan to it. My heart wishes for Dhoni’s success. I will pray to Allah for his well-being,” says Bashir.
Why?
Dhoni gave him a ticket for the ICC World Cup 2011 semifinal match between the two nations in Mohali.
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It was my first visit to India. I came with a lot of passion and emotion. We all thought Pakistan will win the match and my wife, being from Hyderabad, had been persuading me to come here. I didn’t know how to get the match ticket but a man came with a white envelope and said: “Yeh Mahi ne diya hai (Mahi sent this for you). I was extremely touched,” recalls Bashir.
Erroneous impressions about India held the 63-year-old from making an effort all these years.
We were told to keep away from Indians. But when I came here, I realised how wrong I was. Kharab log toh hote hai, aapke bhi hai, hamare bhi hai (there are bad people in this world, if you have them, we have them as well),” asserts Bashir, who stayed back for the ICC World Cup 2011 final between India and Sri Lanka out of love and enthusiasm. Even then, it was Dhoni who sent him tickets.
Talking about love, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi invited trouble after he declared his love for India recently but Bashir saw it as an honest statement.
There is no criminal offence to what Afridi said. In Pakistan, more than 90 per cent of the household watch Indian television channels, they cry watching the soaps and serials which includes my wife. I can’t even ask for tea during those hours. If Afridi said he loves India, he spoke from his heart. Indian films run so well in Pakistan and are so popular, aap kahan kahan mohabbat karne se roko gey (how will you stop the love)?” he asks.
Bashir left Karachi in 1977 and now runs a restaurant which is famous for Hyderabadi biryani. As a child, he used to watch cricket matches in Karachi but gradually the habit ran out.
“In 2011, after I realised I had enough money to tour, I decided to start watching cricket in stadiums once again,” says Bashir, who was reportedly harassed by Bangladesh fans in Mirpur during Asia Cup last month.
Few photographs on social media confirmed that fans, accompanied by a political figure, misbehaved with him and wrapped the Bangladesh flag on him forcefully.
But Bashir said there is no point dragging the issue for it will only sour relations.
