Tiara bus adds sparkle to test

On Thursday morning when England and Pakistan walk out on the lord’s field for the start of the first test match, the talk is likely to be about the vehicle belonging to Dalawar Chaudhry parked outside the lord’s cricket ground in north-west London.

Adorned with Islamic scriptures, multi-coloured lights, intricate mosaics with a dazzling tiara mounted across the front, the bus was hand-built in the Pakistan city of Karachi and cost Mr Chaudhry £ 40,000 to buy and ship to England. He plans to load it up with Pakistani cricket fans and take it around the country for the forthcoming series.

The multi-coloured bus has already caused quite a few eyebrows to be raised while it has been parked outside Mr Chaudhry’s restaurant in southall, west londonbrightly west London. Brightly decorated buses are called tiaras in Pakistan because of the tiara they have mounted across the front of them. Mr Chaudhry, 35, initially imported his tiara to England in the hope that it would be used by the Pakistan team as its official tour bus. The offer was kindly rejected by the Pakistan cricket board.

To mark the first test, Mr Chaudhry, plans to park the bus outside lord’s and hand out free samosas and bhajees. Mr Chaudhry, who is also catering for the Pakistan team during their stay in England said: “it would have been great if the player had used it as their official vehicle but its not that big. Many Pakistani cricket fans are looking forward to going to matches in tiara. It’s a very stylish way to travel.

He added: “I don’t know what the lord’s establishment will make of my bus but my main concern at the moment is that it doesn’t break down will make it to the ground.”