Chacha Cricket

Chacha Cricket چاچا کرکٹ
Chacha Cricket (centre) with fans at a Test Match in Bangalore, India.
Born	Chaudhry Abdul Jalil (1949-10-08) October 8, 1949 Daska, Punjab, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Other names	Chacha Cricket
Occupation	Cricket mascot
Employer	Pakistan Cricket Board
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)

Chaudhry Abdul Jalil (Urdu: چوہدری عبدالجلیل) aka Chacha Cricket (Urdu: چاچا کرکٹ) is one of Pakistan's most ardent and famous cricket mascots and fans. Translated from Urdu, "Chacha Cricket" literally means "Uncle Cricket". He was born in Daska, Punjab on October 8, 1949.

Jalil is regularly seen as a spectator at cricket matches involving Pakistan. He is easily recognized by his white beard, his full green shalwar kameez dress and his white cap decorated with a sequined star and crescent moon. He is always armed with a Pakistani flag and initiates many crowd chants.

His second name is Chacha Zaheer, In the 1980s, Jalil used to work in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He gained popularity by regularly attending cricket matches held in Sharjah wearing a green dress with a white star and crescent on it. He later resigned from his job and began to follow the Pakistan national team around the world on a full-time basis. Fellow Pakistan fans began to recognise him and he came to be known as Chacha Cricket. As his fame increased, the Pakistan Cricket Board hired him and currently sponsor him to travel around the world following the Pakistan team.

While his support for Pakistan is very strong, he remains good-natured and is also a popular figure amongst opposition fans such as England's Barmy Army.

External links

• Andrew Miller's Pakistan tour diary (November 8) - Cricinfo.com
• Photograph of Chacha Cricket
• Interview of Chacha Cricket during Pakistan vs India test match at Mohali Cricket Stadium India