Former Pakistan president and chief of army staff Pervez Musharraf left for a heavenly abode on Sunday morning (February 5) at the American Hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He was 79 years old and had not been well for a long time. Musharraf, who became the 10th president of Pakistan, was born in Delhi, and like any other Indian or Pakistani-origin person, he too was a big cricket buff.
On many occasions in the past, he witnessed India vs. Pakistan battles on the field, and during India’s tour of Pakistan in 2006, he once complimented former Indian cricketer MS Dhoni for his hairstyle and even suggested him not to have a haircut. Dhoni used to wear long hair back then, which was quite popular among youngsters.
The incident happened on February 13, 2006, in Lahore, when India travelled to Pakistan for a five-match ODI series. After Dhoni played a quickfire knock of unbeaten 72 runs from just 47 balls to help India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the third ODI at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Musharraf joined the post-match presentation and lauded Dhoni first for his excellent show with the bat and then complimented him for the hairstyle.
“I would first of all like to congratulate the Indian team for playing exceptionally well, and may I especially congratulate Dhoni for being the architect of the victory. And may I tell Dhoni that I saw a placard asking you to have a haircut, but if you were to take my opinion, you look good in this haircut; don’t have a haircut,” Musharraf had famously said.This iconic moment from the 2006 tour is still fresh in fans’ memories, and many years later, when Dhoni’s biopic hit Indian theatres in 2016, he included the clip of this particular post-match presentation. For his superb show with the bat, Dhoni bagged the Player of the Match award in third ODI.
