Chaudhry Abdul Jalil, the 77-year-old Pakistani superfan known across the cricket world as Chacha Cricket, has announced that the ongoing ODI series against Australia will be his last as a supporter on home soil, closing a chapter that stretches back more than five decades.
Instantly recognisable in his trademark green attire and carrying the national flag, Jalil first appeared at a cricket ground during England’s tour of Pakistan in 1968-69 in Lahore.
It was in Sharjah during the 1980s and 1990s, however, that he truly became a phenomenon. He would have to take three different buses from his office in Abu Dhabi just to reach the ground where he would watch Pakistan play. Eventually, he quit his job altogether and dedicated his life to following the national team. He travelled to England for the 1999 World Cup to cheer for Wasim Akram’s side, and from that point on became a recognisable figure across the cricket world.
He was there for the greatest moments. “I was on the ground when Javed Miandad hit Chetan Sharma for a six on the last ball,” he recalled while talkig to a cricket website, referring to the iconic finish in Sharjah in 1986. “I vividly remember Miandad hitting him over deep midwicket. The other memorable match for me was when we beat India at The Oval in the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017,” he added.
Two defeats, in particular, still sting. Pakistan’s failure to chase 120 against India in New York at the 2024 T20 World Cup hit him hard. “I had travelled a great distance to support the team,” he said.
The other came at the 2011 World Cup semi-final in Mohali, where Pakistan fell 29 runs short of India’s 260. “I took a painstaking journey for that game. I travelled from Sri Lanka to Karachi to Sialkot and then crossed into India. We could have won that match but mistakes happen. Wins and losses are part of the game.”
Pakistan’s recent run of poor results has also taken a toll. Their performances put him off travelling to Sri Lanka for the 2026 T20 World Cup. “I witnessed three consecutive defeats to India in the Asia Cup last year. We have now lost nine in a row to India. I did not want them to lose another match after the Asia Cup.”
Beyond the grounds, his presence is sought everywhere, from local tapeball matches to wedding ceremonies, and he wants to use that platform for something bigger. “I have done everything for the sheer love of the game and my country. My mission has been to be a great ambassador of the country and make fans across the aisles happy. I am now also looking to do some welfare work after my retirement.”
Having reached his personal target of cheering Pakistan in 500 matches, Jalil now wants to open a restaurant and museum near his hometown of Sialkot, where he plans to display decades of memorabilia collected across his extraordinary journey. “I will display all the memorabilia I have gathered over the years at the museum,” he said.
He is not ruling out one final overseas trip. He hopes to travel to England this summer to watch Pakistan’s three-Test tour, waving the flag one last time from the stands.
Through every high and low, he never stopped believing, and he falls back on the slogan that has defined his journey: “Hota hay bhai hota hay, khel mein aisa hota hay, kabhi agay kabhi peechay, kabhi khushi kabhi ghum, kabhi tum, kabhi hum.”
