Dar bowled over by Bollywood

He smacked a lightning 82 off 47 deliveries, then made plans to watch the digitally coloured Mughal-e-Azam, and hummed an old K L Saigal tun...

He smacked a lightning 82 off 47 deliveries, then made plans to watch the digitally coloured Mughal-e-Azam, and hummed an old K L Saigal tune between answering questions. 35-year-old Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar could have passed off for a Sunday regular at Charni Road8217;s Police Gymkhana today as he turned out in an exhibition match between two teams formed from within the Mumbai A-division side Greater Mumbai Police.

Unwinding after the pressure-cooker situation in the Mumbai Test match, 8216;8216;I might as well pick up some local tricks,8217;8217; he said, having set the Gymkhana ground on fire with six fours and seven sixes in a short stay.

The devout Muslim 8212; who observed the Ramzan fast during the Tests as well as on Sunday 8212; hit the ground in the midst of a rather hectic tour of the city, when he made time for a bit of shopping and a visit to the Haji Ali dargah.

Saying that the warmth he has received in India so far has been 8216;8216;overwhelming8217;8217;, Dar added, 8216;8216;everybody is so passionate about the game8217;8217;. 8216;8216;Even Nagpur had a considerable turnout, so I was a bit apprehensive about being in Mumbai8217;8217;, especially if he had 8212; perchance 8212; adjudged Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid out by mistake. That it all went off 8216;8216;satisfactorily8217;8217; helped Dar take his remaining days in Mumbai happier.

Dar is a Bollywood junkie, and plans to buy a Mughal-E-Azam CD since it8217;s now out in colour. He claims to have stacks of Mohammed Rafi and Mukesh tapes in his Lahore home and wants to return to India soon: 8216;8216;I8217;d like to see more of my neighbours.8217;8217;

Irrespective of whether he manages that or not, his swashbuckling knock here on Sunday will ensure a lot of people 8212; who were fortunate enough to catch it live 8212; will remember the visitor from across the border for a long time.

If and when Dar does return, he hopes the 8216;8216;unnecessary8217;8217; hype around the wickets doesn8217;t happen again. 8216;8216;The Nagpur pitch aided seamers and the Mumbai pitch helped spinners. That8217;s all. You8217;ve got to keep an eye on the ball, that8217;s how cricket should be played,8217;8217; he adds.