Pakistani Cricket Captain Babar Azam Buys Seven Saris in Kolkata Mall

When it comes to choosing apparel for ladies, one of the world's greatest hitters experiences the same uneasiness that an average cricket enthusiast does.

On Thursday, Pakistani captain Babar Azam purchased seven saris from an ethnic clothing shop at a mall in south Calcutta. But not until he'd asked his family for permission during a lengthy video conversation.

On Thursday afternoon, Azam and Imam-ul-Haq, the opener and nephew of Pakistan's greatest batter, Inzamam-ul-Haq, spent over two hours in South City Mall.

"Most of the seven saris that Babar Azam purchased were composed of chiffon georgette. He seemed to be delighted by our assortment. However, he was unsure which ones he would purchase, according to a worker at the Soch shop located on the mall's third level on Prince Anwar Shah Road.

Then he called his house via a video call on WhatsApp. Following a thorough conversation and the display of the saris, he decided on seven saris. In essence, the ladies gave their approval,” the worker remarked.

Most of what he stated was understandable to the staff.

Lahore, the Pakistani province of Punjab's capital, is where Azam is originally from. He's conversant in Punjabi.

against Saturday, Pakistan takes against England at Eden Gardens. After New Zealand's crushing win against Sri Lanka, their hopes of making it to the semifinals were severely damaged. However, they are still in the running for the top four mathematically.

The two Pakistani players had a vacation-ready vibe. Azam wore chinos with an orange t-shirt. Haq had on shorts and a green t-shirt.

The cricketers' first destination before Soch was the ground floor Zara shop, a fast-fashion chain from Spain. According to a mall representative who accompanied Azam and Haq, they both made purchases there.

Following Soch, the two stopped at the first-floor Sunglass Hut. Azam seems to be rather fond of colors. He purchased a Tom Ford Wayfarer, a shop employee claimed.

By 1pm, Azam and Haq had reached South City. The two of them spent the next two hours there, surrounded by a large number of police and security officers.

The two set up a frenzy, and the audience quickly grew. However, fans were unable to get photos or signatures from the two due to the tight security setup.

Numerous individuals begged for a photo with the cricket players and their signatures. There was also a gathering forming outside the mall. However, the security personnel performed a good job of keeping the supporters away.

A mall shop manager said, "I have not seen such heavy-duty security for any visitor in a long time."

"They could not interact with the fans because of the safety protocol," subsequently said police sources who were aware of the arrangements for the Pakistani presence.

According to reports, the mall officials were informed about the visit "barely 15 minutes" before the players arrived.

A senior IPS officer said, "Any information pertaining to the schedule or location of foreign cricket players is sensitive, revealing which may become a cause of security concern for them."

Vice-president of South City Projects Man Mohan Bagree stated: "We were thrilled to have Azam and Haq." Our first concern was their safety. Hasan Ali, a fast bowler for Pakistan, was in the mall the other day with his family.

coffee, then a century

Ben Stokes, the English all-rounder, was observed at a café at Quest Mall on Thursday night, in case the Pakistani players had an adventure in South City.

Stokes was at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf location at the Beckbagan mall. Stokes was the one bright light in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the English squad, having hit a magnificent attacking century against the Netherlands in Pune.

One of the finest all-rounders in the world, Stokes, turned heads wherever he went wearing a black t-shirt, white shorts, and shoes.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.