Dubai diary: Shyam Bhatia, superfan who saw all Indo-Pak games in the UAE

The India-Pakistan game in Dubai on Sunday, 22 February, will have an octogenarian cricket fan on the VIP stands who has hardly missed any match between them on the UAE soil since the first one on 3 April 1981. A 50-overs ‘unofficial’ game between Sunil Gavaskar XI and Javed Miandad XI was the first game in Sharjah – a benefit match for Pakistan legend Hanif Mohammed – is regarded as the earliest precursor of cricket in the desert as we know it.

‘’It was my first India versus Pakistan game when I was a newcomer here and the love affair has continued for nearly 45 years. Miandad's team had won that low-scoring match,'' remarked Shyam Bhatia, a Dubai-based industrialist and cricket enthusiast for more than 50 years.

''I have been watching battles between the two around the world, including the ones at the World Cup, but feel that Pakistan have historically reserved their best against India in the UAE,’’ he said. ''Remember that last time they met in the 2021 World T20 here, Pakistan won the game. India should not take anything for granted,'' said the superfan who has not missed any 50-over World Cup finals so far.

A close friend of most of the legends of yesteryears, Bhatia’s labour of love is an extremely well curated cricket museum at his villa – which has been widely appreciated by the global cricketing community.

Called the Shyam Bhatia Cricket Museum which would be completing 15 years this year, it is a rare example of a private initiative which had continued to add on to it’s contents and upgrade the museum over the years with help from a handful of aides. The amazing collection of memorabilia ranges from autographed bats, balls which have fetched landmarks, rare cricket books and magazines – white various aspects of the history of the game are chronicled on the walls. ‘’I have been fortunate to be showered with affection from players of both India and Pakistan. Men like Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal – not to speak of their cricket media – have been very good friends,’’ Bhatia said during an informat chat with National Herald.

The walls of the museum are adorned with the history of cricket from 1887 till now and there are designed ‘pillars’ for all Test-playing nations describing their history. Separate areas are dedicated for the 10,000-plus Test run-getters and the history of the 12 cricket World Cups so far. There are over 2000 cricket books and magazines dating back to 1900, autographed cricket bats and prized possessions gifted by greats of the game.

Asked if it’s not open on a daily basis for the public, Bhatia said: ‘’I have always accommodated requests from any groups, aspiring cricketers or students’ groups as I feel they should have a sense of cricketing history.''