Iqbal Abdulla, a dusky teenager from Azamgarh district has, however, turned out to be the real-life Iqbal by playing an integral role in the Indian colts’ triumph at the under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.

Abdulla has given all Azamgarhias a reason to rejoice. The district, which had so far been infamous for being home to mobsters such as Abu Salem, can now boast of being home to an overnight cricket celebrity. The left-arm spinner does not represent his home state UP, but made Ranji debut for Mumbai in 2007. He earned 10 scalps for the Indian team in Malaysia.

Iqbal’s father Maulvi Niyaz Ahmad was not at the ground to view the historic win, but was watching the match at the home of a neighbour who had subscribed to the pay channel that was showing the game live.

Most Indian cricket fans focused on the seniors in Sydney, but the thoughts of this family in the Terhia Masjid locality of Azamgarh had been in the Malaysian capital for the last few days.

“I have not seen Kuknoor’s Iqbal, but from what I have been told by Iqbal’s coach Naushad Khan about the story, I believe my son is the real Iqbal,” said Niyaz Ahmad, father to four sons and an equal number of daughters. He runs a grocery store.

Iqbal’s coach Naushad, who also hails from Azamgarh district and was once among Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy probables, says, “Five years ago, I spotted Iqbal, then only 13, at the Azamgarh District Stadium. I went to his house and asked his family to send him with me to Mumbai. His father made crystal clear his extreme hatred for cricket and rejected my proposal on the ground that he did not have money for Iqbal’s cricketing career.”

Naushad, however, used the persuasive skills of Iqbal’s mom Azra Khatoon and an assurance that he will fund Iqbal’s stint in Mumbai.

“A small town boy whose family never dreamt of a bright cricket career for their sixth child went on to play at the under-15 and under-17 level in Mumbai before making his Ranji debut against Himachal Pradesh in Dharmashala on December 17 last year,” said Naushad.

Iqbal, who is studying in class XII at Khalsa College in Mumbai, has just purchased a flat worth Rs 12 lakh and given Rs 2 lakh to his parents for a Haj pilgrimage.

“I took many players from UP to Mumbai, but Iqbal is an exceptional talent, about whom Mumbai should be proud of, especially at a time when Raj Thackarey’s party is targeting bhaiyas from Eastern UP and Bihar,” Naushad says.

Distributing sweets to neighbours to celebrate his son’s triumph, Maulvi Niyaz says, “I earlier considered cricket a curse, but now am confident it’s a boon for the family.”

Iqbal’s mom, who has always been supportive of her son, now showcases with elan in the family’s drawing room, the vignettes won by Iqbal. “Earlier I used to hide Iqbal’s rewards spanning from a tape recorder to a bicycle out of fear that his father would break them, but now the entire family is proud of my sixth child,” Azra says proudly .

“Even during the days when there were attacks on North Indians in Mumbai, I stood firm about my son’s safety as I believed that only Mumbai, and not UP, will catapult Iqbal into the national side,” she added.