Maybe Raj missed this: UP boy brought U-19 Cup, guarded it in tiny Kurla flat

At the station, they were welcomed by a large group of youngsters led by their son Iqbal Abdulla — the only Mumbai player in the India Under-19 team which won the World Cup in Malaysia.

“Back home we had read a lot about whatever is happening in Mumbai. If not for Iqbal’s celebration, it would have been a difficult decision to take the train to Mumbai, the fear was at the back of the mind,” Niyaz told The Indian Express. Abdulla was brought to Mumbai more than four years ago by an eager coach and the left-arm spinner made his Ranji debut last year. He took 10 wickets in Malaysia and was also a member of the U-19 team which toured South Africa.

This week, being the only player from Mumbai, the Class 12 Arts student was given the responsibility of carrying the World Cup trophy from Bangalore, where the team arrived from Kuala Lumpur, and handing it over to the BCCI headquarters. He kept it in the kitchen of his 350-sq ft Kurla house since that was the only free space available in his tiny dwelling, but was worried sick it could get stolen.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” he said. “I had to make sure that no one steals it. You don’t know how famous Kurla is for thieves. Maloom pada kal yehi cup station ke bahar bik raha hai.”

Abdulla was away from Mumbai for a large part of the time when MNS activists targeted lesser-known migrants from his home state, accusing them of taking away opportunities that the party claims belongs to Maharashtrians.

“I heard about it when I was in Kuala Lumpur,” he said, adding partly tongue-in-cheek, “Badebhai, I am joining Marathi-speaking classes soon.”

Back in UP, politicians are vying with each other to felicitate Abdulla. The ruling BSP has announced a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh while a local SP leader offered his parents a plot on the outskirts of Azamgarh.

Niyaz broke down when he met his son yesterday: “I always thought that Iqbal should never play cricket, it was my belief that sport doesn’t have any future. But he has proved me wrong,” said the father.

With fame and some money pouring in, Abdulla is keen to change a few things. Like getting a first-class pass to travel in Mumbai’s local trains instead of the second class one which he says is a “pain”. As a newcomer to Mumbai, he used to be thrilled watching planes take off and land at the airport as his house was on the flight path. Later this week, he will be putting his parents on a plane home, their first flight.