Kin to cheer Yusuf, Virat mom won’t watch
Feb. 7: The delight in the Pathan household knew no bounds four years ago when both Yusuf and Irfan turned out for India in the inaugural World T20 final against Pakistan in South Africa. While Irfan has fallen off the international radar for some time now, Yusuf has made the one-day spot his own after two awe-inspiring centuries over the last year.
The Pathan family cannot wait for the ICC Cricket World Cup to get underway and Yusuf to explode on the grandest of the cricketing stage. Irfan has completed his recovery from injury and hopes to cheer on Yusuf and the Indian team from the stands.
“I played my first competitive match today and will be part of the Baroda Ranji ODI squad. Whenever I get the opportunity, I’ll try to cheer the team on at the grounds,” Irfan said.
Father Mehboob Khan Pathan is seeking blessings for Yusuf in a unique way. He organised a community wedding for 10 couples in a small district in Gujarat.
Irfan said he would not be surprised to see their father in the stands during World Cup matches. “My father and never misses an international match in Baroda. My mother, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. She gets nervous watching Yusuf bat,” he added.
Yusuf’s mother is not alone. Virat Kohli’s mother Saroj too doesn’t like watching when her son in action. “My mother generally sits in the drawing room and occasionally comes in to check the scores. Apart from that we don’t have fixed routines in our household during international matches and I don’t expect that to change during the World Cup,” Virat’s younger brother Vikas said.
Both families are not superstitious but Virat has a peculiar pre-match habit. “Virat doesn’t like to bat in the nets a day before an international match,” Virat’s long-term coach Rajkumar Sharma said.
Yusuf though has no such hang-ups. “I don’t think Yusuf has any superstitions. Although he does offer a quiet prayer to allah before going out to bat,” Irfan said.
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