In the colossal sea of blue that engulfed the Narendra Modi Stadium, two die-hard Pakistan cricket fans, Mohammad Uzair and Asif Syed Ali, stood out like rare gems, having made the extraordinary journey from their homes in Houston to witness one of cricket’s grandest spectacles.
In the midst of an Indian-dominated crowd of nearly 120,000, these two friends, along with fellow enthusiast Mohammad Basheer from the United States, represented a minuscule but spirited contingent of Pakistan fans at the World Cup clash.
Defying daunting visa delays that had virtually kept most Pakistan fans, especially those from across the border, away from the action despite possessing World Cup match tickets, Uzair, a US passport holder, expressed his joy at finally being present in Ahmedabad. “All’s well that ends well,” he noted.
“It was a lengthy and challenging visa process, but we managed it and are excited to be here,” Uzair told AFP. “We took the opportunity to explore Delhi and Uttar Pradesh before arriving in Ahmedabad for the highly anticipated match.”
Both Uzair and Ali are IT professionals who share a passion for cricket and play for the same club in Houston. Uzair, holding a banner that displayed both Indian and Pakistan flags, shared, “It’s quite unusual that there will be so few Pakistan fans in the stadium, but we are determined to match them chant for chant.”
Reflecting on their previous experience at the MCG last year during the Twenty20 World Cup match between the two teams, Uzair said, “We hope there will be more than just two Pakistan fans this time. It’s a rivalry that ignites the spirit, just like what we witnessed at the MCG.”
Undeterred by India’s 7-0 ODI World Cup record against Pakistan, Ali remained optimistic, saying, “Seven is just a number, and I believe we can break India’s streak today.” In a gesture of unity, he added, “But we are wearing Indian blue shirts underneath. In case they win, we will proudly display that blue shirt.”
Both Uzair and Ali are admirers of India’s batting superstar, Virat Kohli. Ali praised Kohli, saying, “Kohli is a world-class player, and those who compare others to Kohli have no real understanding of cricket.” He also expressed hope that Pakistan’s pace sensation, Shaheen Shah Afridi, would shine in Saturday’s match. “Shaheen is a world-class bowler, and I hope he takes wickets against India, though we would rather he didn’t get Kohli out!”
Among the crowd was also Mohammad Shahzad, who resides in Norway with his Indian wife, Shabana. He had managed to obtain a visa without delay and arrived the previous night. Shahzad expressed his disappointment at the absence of Pakistan fans but maintained his sportsmanship, saying, “It’s a sea of blue, but I won’t mind if Pakistan wins.”
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