Pakistan supporter is biggest cricket fan

Pakistan supporter Shakeel Khan is a happy man after sending 630 SMSs to earn himself the title of Dubai’s Biggest Fan – Sabse Badaa Fan.

Shakeel, from Islamabad in Pakistan, sent the SMSs in response to the challenge issued by Dubai Sports City urging fans to text either PAK or SL to show where their cricketing loyalties lay.

His reward is two Premium Tickets, each valued at AED150, to Friday’s crunch third One-Day International (ODI) between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and a Dubai Sports City cap signed by the two captains, Misbah-ul-Haq and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Shakeel will receive the cap at a presentation to be made during the break between innings on Friday.

Shakeel, a passionate Pakistan supporter who works in finance and lives in Deira, has been in the UAE for the past seven years and was overjoyed at winning the prize.

“I’m really very happy,” he said. “I was hoping for this, that I would get some sort of reward for my efforts and now I have I am very excited.

“I have attended both (Pakistan – Sri Lanka ODI) games at Dubai Sports City and with the series level at 1-1, Friday is set up to be a wonderful match.

“It is a wonderful stadium to watch cricket, everything is very good and I am really looking forward to attending the match. I hope Pakistan can win.”

Dubai Sports City General Manager – Sports Business Maqbul Dudhia said: “Congratulations to Shakeel for becoming Dubai’s Biggest fan – he certainly deserves the title.

“Our quest to find the biggest supporter of either Pakistan or Sri Lanka has been a great way for us to reach out to fans and help them feel part of this ODI series.

“It follows on from our extensive use of Facebook, Twitter and Audioboo and is another example of our commitment to get the fans as close to the action as possible.

“The Dubai International Cricket Stadium is one of the most spectacular venues in the world for day-night cricket with our famous ‘Ring of Fire’ floodlights all around the tops of the stands, and we look forward to welcoming fans, and especially Shakeel, now officially Dubai’s Biggest Fan, to be part of the action on Friday.”

Tickets for the match start from just Dh50 and are available by ‘phone and online from Box Office ME, Time Out Dubai and the Ticketing Co., as well as numerous outlets in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, with details available at https://www.dubaisportscity.ae/articledisplay.asp?id=78