The immigration officer at Heathrow Airport looked surprised.

Four passports were placed before him — two Indian, a Pakistani and a Bangladeshi. The four holders were travelling together.

When he asked where, he was told “Lord’s”. The four were headed to the “Home of Cricket” to watch the World Test Championship final.

The officer, also of South-Asian origin, flashed a wide grin. “The only thing missing from the cricketing representation is a Sri Lankan passport — then you’d have the whole of South Asia covered,” he told the group.

India’s ties with its eastern and western neighbours are under a lot of strain. But thousands of miles away, the group of four — a couple from Calcutta, a man from Bangladesh and another from Pakistan — are like family.

Shabnam Surita and husband Durai Subramaniam call Calcutta home. They were travelling with Zobaer Ahmed, from Comilla, Bangladesh, and Waqas Ahmed from Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

They travelled to London from Bonn, a city in western Germany, straddling the Rhine river, where they have been living for the past few years.

Zobaer, 42, and Shabnam, 33, are colleagues, both journalists with a state-owned broadcaster in Germany.

Shabnam’s husband Durai is an analyst at a Germany-headquartered market and competitive intelligence solution provider. Waqas, 42, is a consultant at an invoicing firm.

The four are like family, and cricket is the glue. Durai, Zobaer and Waqas play cricket at a local club in Bonn.

“I was supporting South Africa. They were the underdogs. This Test was a
roller coaster. The foundation for the victory was built on Day 3. I am very happy for South Africa,” Durai told The Telegraph.

He grew up in Salt Lake and is an alumnus of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM).

The boys watched Days 1 and 3 at the stadium. Shabnam was there only for Day 1.

“Cricket brings all of us together, breaking barriers. I don’t just play in a cricket team but with friends whom I call family in Bonn. It is more than just a sport,” said Durai.

Durai’s father has recently retired from the National Council of Science Museums. His family traces its roots to Tirunelveli. His parents have lived in Calcutta for more than four decades.

Born and raised in Silchar in Assam, Shabnam moved to Calcutta in 2005, when she was 13. She studied at Carmel High School and Jadavpur University. Then she moved abroad. Her parents live in Santoshpur, off EM Bypass.

“I have never played the sport. Before Lord’s, I had watched one IPL game at Eden Gardens,” she said.

“At work, we have colleagues from many cricketing nations. Big cricket events are like big social events in Germany. It has a very South Asian, desi vibe. Watching cricket together is how I deal with homesickness.”

For Waqas, cricket is more than just a game.

“I lead a team in Bonn. We are a multinational team. We have players from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. We don’t feel people are different. There is very tough competition, and things can get rough. But cricket plays a positive role. Someone told me cricket teaches you to handle life. You learn how to handle wins, you learn how to handle losses. It teaches you to be patient,” he said.

“What we are experiencing in London is not very different. We come from different countries. Our teams are not playing. But we are watching the match for the love of the game. There were so many in the stands today who were not South Africans or Australians. They came because they love the sport. Cricket teaches me how to live life.”

Zobaer was “born into” cricket.

“My brothers and everyone in my neighbourhood played cricket. I grew up playing it. It is something I have lived with. I played for clubs in Bangladesh. I learnt that it was a team game. You think of the team first... That is my biggest learning. I led my university team. I did not know people played cricket in Germany. What I enjoy most now is the time I spend playing cricket. When we play, we forget who is from which country. It was my dream to watch a match at the Mecca of Cricket,” he said.