The Gaddafi and the man behind it

Its curator, Haji Bashir, has been with the stadium since its inception in 1958.

LAHORE: It has been six years, two months and 16 days since international cricket left Pakistan, however, that wait ends today. Few have been looking forward to this day more eagerly than Gaddafi Stadium’s curator Haji Bashir — at the stadium since 1958.

He was in Gaddafi preparing for day three of the second Sri Lanka Test when cricket was cruelly taken away from him and the rest of the country. Now he waits, understandably anxious, for the first ball to be delivered and the action to resume, counting down the seconds to the first.

“These hours leading up to the game are making me increasingly nervous,” said Bashir, tears — stemming from both the pain of the past and the hope and joy of the future — swelling up in his eyes. “When the first ball is delivered, only then will I feel that my biggest source of happiness has been returned to me.”

For Bashir, these six cricket-less years hold little meaning. “It will be like the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka has arrived,” said Bashir. “I feel like a bowler who has been made to wait one more over to try and get his hat-trick after taking two wickets on the final two balls of the previous one. On Friday, I finally complete that hat-trick.”

The Gaddafi is one of the most famous cricketing stadiums in the world and Bashir has been the man behind every event that has taken place here — from the two World Cups of 1987 and 1996 to the two Asian Games where the stadium was used as a multi-purpose arena that also hosted hockey and football matches.

The 1996 World Cup final stands out as a particular fond memory for the 74-year-old. For him and his other ground staff, the ground never looked as beautiful as it did back then; that is until the Zimbabwe cricket team stepped onto the hallowed surface to practice.

“Just like us, the ground seems to be happy,” said Bashir, brimming with affection for the stadium. “I can sense it from the colour of the grass and the nature of pitch. The ground has never looked so beautiful since the 1996 World Cup final; it’s as if it can feel that international cricket is returning. The grass is alive and today it seems happy, like it is loved again.”

Bashir has witnessed the iconic stadium’s history take shape and he has seen the stadium grow up in front of his very eyes, ever since that first series against Australia in 1958-59. Then, Bashir recalled, the stadium didn’t even have a proper boundary around it. Today though, it is a mega structure that houses more than 60,000 cricket-obsessed fans. “The journey has been like seeing your own child grow up in front of you.”

With an association of almost 60 years between man and stadium, it was no surprise to hear Bashir’s passion about the stadium. “This ground is as beloved to me as my own children and grandchildren,” he said. “Any problem faced by Gaddafi pains me as much as a problem faced by my children.”

The job of a curator can often be a thankless and unforgiving role, with few praises received for a job well done but a lot of criticism when not so. However, Bashir has never had that problem. “Even great players such as Imran Khan, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas and Javed Miandad never questioned or criticised my pitch,” he said. “On the contrary, Miandad and Imran often asked me to pray for them to perform well.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board may earn millions from the stadium, but the man behind it has always had a modest lifestyle. “My salary in 1958 used to be Rs58 per month,” said the curator. “It is now in the thousands but my lifestyle has not changed, nor do I have any bigger aspirations. I take immense pride in my work and from the way I have helped people take better care of grounds all around the world.”

Cricket has finally returned and on Friday, Bashir’s darling will come alive. The roar of the crowd will be music to the 74-year-old’s ears as he finally scratches an itch that has plagued him every day for six years, two months and 16 days. The wait is finally over.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2015.

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