If the UAE take on Pakistan, it will be the very land where his dream was born. Haider Ali will likely lead the spin attack. But just a few years ago, you wouldn’t have found him at the stadium. You would find him weighing mangoes and apples on a street corner in Lahore.
The village boy and the midnight waiter
Haider Ali grew up in the village of Kamaria Azmat Shah, where there were no facilities. His uncle, who raised him, had a rule that he was not allowed to play cricket until he passed the Matrix exam. Speaking to the Times of India (TOI), Haider recalled: “He didn’t let me play… then he said, I won’t stop you.”
Once he passed, he boarded a one-way bus to Lahore with nothing but hope. In order to survive, he led a double life. During the day, he trained at the Ludhiana Gymkhana Club. At night, he worked as a waiter, serving tables until the early hours of the morning just to earn money for gym memberships and meals. “My family didn’t know anything…all they knew was that my son was playing cricket in Lahore.” he told TOI.
Autumn: From the bridge to the fruit cart
When the coronavirus outbreak hit, wedding halls were closed and waiter jobs disappeared. Haider never returned home. He became a fruit vendor and for four years walked the streets pushing a wheelbarrow. But the low point was yet to come.
While transporting fruits, an overloaded autorickshaw fell off a bridge and Haider fell 30 feet below. The impact was devastating, resulting in a broken shoulder, broken leg, and broken nose. Doctors and even Test cricketers told him his career was over. He told TOI: “I’m very lucky. God gave me a second life…I tried too hard and trusted God to give me the results.”
New life: 10 rupees and a dream
With just 10 Pakistani rupees (just 1 dirham) in his pocket and tears in his eyes, Haider left home for the UAE. He promised his mother that he would return after making her proud. In the desert heat of 45 degrees Celsius, Haider resumed his efforts. He woke up at 3:30 a.m. to swim, practiced all day, and went to the gym at night. “I work when no one is looking but God.” he told TOI. His determination paid off in 2025, when they defeated Bangladesh in a legendary 7-3 spell, giving the UAE their first series win against a Test nation.
Pakistan vs UAE: Haider Ali faces his roots
The script comes full circle in this World Cup arc. If the T20 World Cup match between UAE and Pakistan is held, Haider Ali will be UAE’s main weapon. He’s not just playing against the team. He is up against the very soil that once considered him “just a fruit seller.”
Haider’s role today is extremely important. His left-arm orthodox spin is UAE’s best chance for an upset. His journey from selling fruit on the streets of Lahore to bowling against the world’s greats is a reminder that talent is common, but the grit to survive a 30-foot fall is rare. Haider’s story reminds us that the line between street and stadium is only as thick as one’s determination. Haider didn’t just chase his dream, he grabbed onto it and doesn’t plan on letting go anytime soon.
As he told TOI, his philosophy remains simple. “You work hard and leave the results to the Almighty.”
(With TOI input)