Nestlad in a corner of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Consumer Fair is the stall of a man, who’s here for reasons other than business. “It’s to be in the country that has Sachin Tendulkar,” says Tanveer Akhtar, a 41-year-old trader from Pakistan, as he flaunts a pullover and tee with Indian colours — a gift from Sachin.
An avid fan of the Master Blaster, Akhtar tells us that ever since 1989, when Sachin played his first match in Pakistan, he ensures that he meets the cricketer whenever he (Sachin) visits Pakistan.
“World-class players don’t give their country’s colour to everybody. In fact, the nation’s colour is given to somebody really close to the heart. I have been preserving the various things he gave to me — a T-shirt, a pullover, a complete cricket kit and numerous articles signed by him,” Tanveer smiles.
Akhtar belongs to the Indo-Pak border district of Gujranwala in Punjab, Pakistan. “I have met Sachin on a number of occasions and that inspired me to start the business of cricket goods. I deal in English willow cricket bats, pads, gloves, tees, pullovers, etc,” he says. At present, he’s in Chandigarh with a team of other Pakistani merchants on their annual visit to India to display their country’s wares
At the CII fair where we find him, he’s busy citing batting and bowling techniques learnt from brief interactions with Sachin to sell his collection.
While he talks about getting a lot of cricket gyan from “his guru”, he says, “It is Sachin I look up to even in my day-to-day life. The way he works towards a win even when the chances of victory are negligible motivates me.”
When asked who he’d like to win with Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar bowling to Sachin Tendulkar, the trader smiles: “Watching both is a memorable experience. It’s it even more fun when they battle it out face to face on the field. Whoever wins the contest, the experience will be a delight. Of course, I believe Sachin has no match and is undoubtedly the world’s greatest cricketer.”
“Also, getting Sachin’s wicket is a challenge for the world’s best bowlers. Recently, in the Champions Trophy, when Pakistani bowler Muhammad Aamer bowled Sachin out, that must have been the high point of his life and career. Aamer was not even born, when Sachin started playing for the Indian flag,” Akhtar remarked.
Akhtar has a dream. “I want both my sons to play for the Pakistan team. Nobody can match Sachin’s aura on or off the field, but still as a father, I would like to see my sons holding a bat in their hands, rather than a ball.”
