There cannot be a more moving sight than crowds pushing into a mosque in Gujarat to celebrate a Muslim’s day of honour. For the state’s demonised and harried minority community, this was one night when their hostile Hindu neighbourhoods hugged them and all joined in bursting crackers, cheering and taking out impromptu victory processions. The festivities were a joyous mockery of chief minister Narendra Modi, who just two days ago had once again referred to "Mian Musharraf" during his Narmada yatra—a phrase he’d patented in the 2002 state elections, slyly tainting the Muslim community’s loyalty to India.
"It is unfortunate that we see Pathan in Gujarat in a different light just because he is a Muslim. But then, it is this identity which has to be reminded to a larger Hindu middle class, the sense that we too are Indian citizens and as loyal as them, especially in Gujarat," says Kadir Peerzda, a Congress leader from Surat.
It was also a rich sight to see the police preventing mobs from entering the masjid to join in the celebrations with Pathan’s family. This is the same police that was accused of standing by, if not directing violent communal mobs to Muslim religious places and homes in 2002.
Inside the dingy Pathan home, meanwhile, each member had his own tale of nervousness, confidence and celebration. "Guddu called on Tuesday night asking us to pray for his success. I told him he should also pray before going into the match. He did and you can see the result," said Mehmood Khan, Irfan’s father.
When Dean Jones interviewed Irfan after the match, Mehmood Khan could not prevent himself from embracing and kissing the TV set. The proud father mocked at Javed Miandad’s statement before the series started: "After this performance, nobody will say that there are many Irfans in the galis of Pakistan."
Mother Shamimbano, though a wee bit nervous, was sure of the result. "I had bought sweets in advance and it was only a matter of time before I started distributing them. I knew Guddu would succeed." Sister Shagufta, who studies in seventh standard, kept counting every ball her brother bowled. In all, 64 balls. And among them were three balls that shook the Pakistani top order.
