- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Pradeep Magazine wrote in a piece that he was not sure whether it would be wise for Bashir, also called Bashir chacha, to walk to the venue in Ahmedabad holding the green flag fearing his safety could be at risk.
By: Shubham Ghosh
AS cricket fans and fanatics were getting prepared for the ‘biggest’ clash of the ongoing World Cup 2023 on Saturday (14), between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, veteran cricket journalist and author Pradeep Magazine had a word of caution for Mohammad Bashir, a die-hard fan of the Pakistani cricket team, who is fondly called Bashir chacha (uncle).
In a piece published in The Wire, Magazine suggested that Bashir needed to be more cautious when he goes to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where the match will be played, to support his favourite team.
He said while the Pakistani supporter might feel elated that the city of Ahmedabad was built by a 15th-century Muslim ruler named Ahmed Shah and its name was not changed despite the fact that both India today and the state of Gujarat, where the city is located, is ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of prime minister Narendra Modi, he warned that the city’s name should not be confused with Shah and it is more called ‘Amdavad’.
“What would be hard for him to comprehend is that in the Gujarati subconscious, the name of their city is not to be confused with Ahmed Shah. They call it Amdavad,” he penned in the article.
Magazine also said it might even be tough for Bashir to think that in the world’s biggest cricket stadium (has a capacity of 130,000), there may not be a single supporter exhibiting support for the visiting team and even if there were some, it would be better for them to remain silent.
Issuing of visas to Pakistani journalists and fans has been delayed and Bashir received his since he possesses an American passport, Magazine said.
“I am not sure if it would be prudent for him to walk to the venue holding the Pakistani flag and wave it inside the stadium, as his safety and security could be at risk,” Magazine wrote.
Last month, Bashir made the headlines for the wrong reason when the Pakistan team reached India for the World Cup. He was at the airport in the southern city of Hyderabad to receive the team and it was reported by the Indian media that the man was detained for questioning by the airport officials and security agencies.
Bashir rejected the claims in an interaction with India’s Sportstar and conceded that he was just asked not to wave the Pakistan flag due to security concerns. He said his flag was taken by the authorities and returned when the Pakistani players departed. He was happy with the kind of welcome the Pakistani cricketers were given in India.
This is the third time that Pakistan will play a World Cup match in India. They had played previously in the 1996 and 2011 editions and on both occasions, lost to the hosts in a knock-out bout.
