Pakistani batsman Iftikhar Ahmed has said that initially, he didn’t like being called ‘chachu’ now he has grown fond of the name that has been given to him by his friends. This was after his amazing innings of 94 not out in the fifth and final ODI against New Zealand which was played in Karachi on Sunday.
Fans began referring to him as “Chachu” because Pakistan’s captain, Babar, did so. In the stadium, people started calling him by his nickname, which in Urdu means “uncle.”
The moniker “Chachu” became more widely used as Ahmed’s notoriety increased. It began to be heard more frequently both inside the stadium and on social media. He started to accept the moniker after realizing that it allowed his admirers to relate to him on a more intimate level.
“If I tell you honestly, I was initially annoyed by the [Chachu] chants. However, now I enjoy it. I remember fans used to cheer for Shahid Afridi when he used to come to bat. Now, they cheer for me similarly, which makes me happy. It is not a bad thing, as it is the crowd’s way of supporting me. I am not bothered by it anymore and actually enjoy them, so I request the fans to keep enjoying,” Iftikhar said to Cricket Pakistan.
I Feel Embarrassed That Due To Me Iftikhar Is Now Known As ‘Chacha’: Babar Azam
During the fifth ODI’s post-match press conference, Pakistani captain Babar Azam expressed his embarrassment over the fact that his teammate Iftikhar is now known as “Chacha” as a result of him. Even yet, he is pleased that others find it enjoyable.
In addition, Babar lauded Iftikhar’s skills and noted that during the previous few months, he had been playing outstanding cricket.
“Sometimes, I feel embarrassed that due to me Iftikhar is now known as ‘Chacha’ but I am happy that people enjoy it. He gave some brilliant performances in T20 cricket and today he took the game deep alone but unfortunately, he didn’t get support from the other end.
That is why we gave him a chance in ODIs because he has been playing great cricket for the last five-six months and we were struggling on those numbers so we are getting a lot of help from Iftikhar and Salman Ali Agha,” Babar said.