Syed Qalbe Muhammad
Before colored kits and white balls, when cricket’s dress code was still governed only by ICC regulations for red-ball cricket, a pure Karachite quietly shaped the future of the game in the UAE.
Mr. Ali Anwar Jafri migrated from Karachi to Sharjah, UAE to pursue cricket. Recruited locally, he played several long innings and his classy shot selection earned him respect. But his playing career was short-lived.
From Player to Pioneer
Jafri refused to give up on cricket. He met Mr. Abdul Rahman Bukhatir — the first Arab to champion cricket and widely known as the “Father of Cricket” in the UAE and across all GCC countries.
Along with former Test cricketer Asif Iqbal, Jafri proposed the idea of starting cricket in Sharjah. That vision gave him the opportunity to open a sports company — “AJ Sports” — in Sharjah.
The Rise of AJ Sports
In the beginning, Ali Jafri imported small consignments of sports goods from the UK and Pakistan. His own cricketing experience helped his business grow fast in the UAE.
On November 1, 1987, he opened his first shop in Rolla, Sharjah. By God’s grace, he received his first major order: the official Duke balls for the 1987 World Cup. That order put Mr. Jafri and AJ Sports on the international map of sporting goods.
It was the privilege of AJ Sports that at that time all 10 Test-playing nations wore kits supplied by AJ. Sharjah also became the most popular and famous destination for cricket in all Arabic-speaking nations.
Due to traffic issues between Sharjah and Dubai, he later opened a new branch in Dubai. Other Pakistani and international companies entered the business later, but AJ’s supremacy in cricket kits remained.
Dressing The World
The biggest milestone came when the International Cricket Council announced AJ Sports as its official clothing supplier for 3 years.
AJ was responsible for:
- On-field clothing for Umpires and Referees
- Clothing for the ICC Development Program, its coaches
- Corporate wear for ICC staff
Ali Anwar Jafri said: “This is a proud moment not only for me, it’s a moment of happiness for all of Pakistan and Pakistanis. We have entered a new era of the game.”
Before every series, a jersey inauguration ceremony was organized — and Pakistan’s presence was already there, under the name AJ Sports.
The company also earned the privilege to join the ICC Business Partner Programme, which already includes Emirates Airline as sponsor of the Elite Panel for 4 decades.
Legacy
“I am always grateful to Allah and to all our customers nationwide for their love and support towards AJ,” Jafri says.
“I pray and hope, In shaa Allah, we continue this legacy and keep the name of Pakistan shining on cricket grounds through our kits.”
