The Indian American

that more people want to join the 31-team Houston Cricket League than the available fields can accommo- date. Ahmed decided to set up a batting cage and bowler's pitch on vacant property he owned in Prairie View so that his teammates could practice. Soon after, they asked whether he would consider using the land to build additional fields for the league to use. That's when the idea for the cricket complex was born. Ahmed's passion shines through his often-serious demeanor. And his own story might seem as improba- ble as the massive sports facility he intends to build. He grew up in Punjab, Pakistan, where his parents were farmers, and was 19 when he immigrated to California with his family. He immediately started to work in fast- food restaurants. Over a period of eight years, he advanced from cashier to manager. "Where I come from, you have to sacrifice a little bit to gain something," said Ahmed, who is 50. "So, for me at that time, I sacrificed my daily activity, daily entertain- ment and just kept focusing on the work. And that determination basically took me to where I am today." Today, he owns more than 150 KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut franchises across four states, plus an energy company and construction firm. He recognizes that he is living out the classic American Dream, but he's mod- est about it. "If I can do it, anyone can do it. That's how I look at it," he said recently. "If you really go back and see, a 19- year-old kid comes here, has nothing in his pocket and just starts working." He jokes that as soon as his four children get their col- lege degrees, they should take over the food business so he can get back to cricket full time. Ahmed played at school in Pakistan but dropped the game for decades after moving to the United States. He picked it up again in 2016 on the suggestion of some of his employees. "I stopped playing because I couldn't afford the time," 08 THE INDIAN AMERICAN OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018