Pakistan's famed fan 'Chacha Cricket' to retire in third ODI against Australia

Pakistan's famous cheerleader 'Chacha Cricket' revealed that the third ODI game between Pakistan and Australia would be the last time he supports the side at home. However, he has plans of cheering the team in the Test series against England in August-September.

Chacha began his journey in Lahore

Abdul Jalil, who goes by Chacha Cricket, started as a regular supporter of the team during a Test series against England in 1968-69. Interestingly, he will retire cheerleading at the same venue where it began for him.

"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."

Jalil, who is now pushing his 80s, rose to fame after he travelled to England for the 1999 ODI World Cup to support Pakistan. But even before that, he had been a regular in Pakistan's games. Working in the UAE, Jalil would change three buses to watch Pakistan's games in Sharjah, where they played regularly in the 1980s and 1990s.

Chacha, who is now discouraged by the side's struggling form across formats especially against arch-rivals India, reminisces the time when the team was a force to be reckoned with.

On Pakistan’s form against India

Going down his own memory lane, pieces from which he aims to preserve in a museum after he retires, Chacha recalled how Javed Miandad famously hit a six on the last ball to take Pakistan over the line against India. That and Pakistan lifting the Champions Trophy in 2017 by defeating India are among his most prominent memories.

"I was on the ground when Javed Miandad hit Chetan Sharma for a six on the last ball [in 1986 at Sharjah]," he said. "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."

Having seen all that makes Pakistan's downfall especially hurtful, which is why he did not travel to Sri Lanka for the side's recent 2026 T20 World Cup campaign. Pakistan last won a game against India, in any format, in the 2022 Asia Cup. Since then, they have lost nine games on the bounce, with each of their defeats being worse than the previous.

"I witnessed Pakistan's 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."

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