Lata Mangeshkar asked me to call her Maa, recalls former Pakistani bowler Shoaib Akhtar

India lost one of its finest gems with the sad demise of singer Lata Mangeshkar. The Legendary singer passed away on Sunday after weeks of hospitalisation and was cremated with state honours in Mumbai. Many celebrities paid tributes to the Nightingale of India one of them being former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar.

In a video posted by Shoaib on his official YouTube account, the cricketer recalled speaking Lata Mangeshkar during his visit to India in 2016. He also recalled that she had told him to call her Maa and regretted never meeting her personally.

The former Pakistani fast bowler said, “In 2016, when I was working in India, I had the honour of speaking to her over the phone. I greeted her and she responded in her melodious voice.”

The cricketer said when he addressed her as Lata ji, the singer insisted he calls her maa (mother). “I addressed her as maa ji from there on.”

 

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It is no secret that the late singer Lata Mangeshkar was a huge fan of cricket. Shoaib went on about how the legendary singer opened up about her love for cricket. He said, “She told me that she had watched my matches and my battles with Sachin (Tendulkar). She told me she found me aggressive on the pitch. She said my temper was famous.”

They also spoke about Pakistani musicians, and the two even planned to meet. But the meeting never happened and it is something that Shoaib regrets the most.

The veteran singer died of multiple organ failure after a brief battle with Covid-19. She was 92.

Also Read: Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham pays a heartfelt tribute to Lata Mangeshkar