Burdwan, March 15: Did you know Inzamam-ul Haq is a Bengali?

Inzamam himself doesn?t. But such is the wave of friendship that ? forget half a century of battle over land in Kashmir ? a Bengali family is asking a Pakistani to claim what apparently is his own: a piece of India.

The Haqs of Someshpur village at Raina in Burdwan believe that the Pakistan captain is the son of Mozammel, who had left home in a huff at the time of Partition over a property dispute with his father.

Asadul, Mozammel?s younger brother, said their father Mahmudul Haque, who died in 1968, left about 15 bighas for his eldest son, though he wasn?t around any more.

?We now want to hand over the land to Inzamam. Through our family sources we know that he is related to us,? the Haq family said.

Asadul contacted Sultan Ahmed, former Congress MLA and working committee member of the Cricket Association of Bengal, to arrange a meeting with Inzamam.

Inzamam, however, told Ahmed that he was not aware of his family having any connection to Bengal.

Ahmed, who had invited the Pakistan team last night to dinner at his Ripon Street home in Calcutta, said: ?Inzamam told me his family had roots in Uttar Pradesh. But I have asked the Haq family to submit a family tree and details about their claim about Inzamam. If I am satisfied, I will take up the matter again with Inzamam.?

Amjadul, son of 65-year-old Zobedul Haq, another of Mozammel?s younger brothers, is carrying a faded family photograph to Calcutta to show to Inzamam if Ahmed can set up a meeting. However, Mozammel does not figure in the photograph.

Ahmed, who is also the local manager for the Pakistan team, said he told Inzamam about the claim by the Haq family. ?He (Inzy) told me that his great grandfather hailed from Uttar Pradesh.?

Fifty-five-year-old Asadul would have none of this. ?My elder brother, who was in the army, wanted our father to sell some land and give him the money to start a business. Our father did not agree and he (Mozammel) left in a huff for Delhi.?

From there he went to Karachi with a cousin and settled down, joining the Pakistan army.

Ahmed said tonight his office had received a fax message from the Haq family which he would not get to see before tomorrow morning. ?I will show the fax message to Inzamam after the day?s play,? he added.

If Inzy is convinced, a Bengali will be leading the Indian and the Pakistani teams.