My household now has two nations to cheer for, says Ludhiana-born Oman cricketer

When Indian-origin Oman cricketer Jatinder Singh was visiting his prolonged household in Ludhiana earlier this 12 months, the 32-year-old had deliberate to return to Oman a couple of days later for becoming a member of the nation’s nationwide cricket crew. The second wave of Covid-19 meant that many of the flights had been cancelled and Singh spent greater than three months in Ludhiana. On Sunday, Singh performed an unbeaten knock of 73 runs off 42 balls to assist Oman rating a ten-wicket win over Papua New Guinea (PNG) in a Group B spherical one match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup performed at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman.
The Ludhiana-born cricketer celebrated his fourth half-century in T20Is in model imitating the well-known thigh patting celebration of Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan.
The final six years have seen Singh taking part in in 19 ODIs and 29 T20Is for Oman and the 32-year-old has amassed 434 ODI runs and 770 T20I runs in his profession to date.
“While it’s my second T20 World Cup, competing here was a dream for every member of the team. When I could not fly to Oman in March due to flight restrictions, I trained at Malwa Cricket Club ground apart from CP Cricket ground before I got the special permission in June to fly to Muscat. Scoring my highest T20I score against PNG in the opening match for Oman is special for me and as I celebrated in Shikhar paji style, I am sure my extended family back home in India too would have been cheering and proud for me,” shared Singh whereas speaking with The Indian Express from Muscat forward of Oman’s match in opposition to Bangladesh on Tuesday.
While Singh’s father Gurmail Singh immigrated to Oman in 1975 becoming a member of the Royal Oman Police Force as a carpenter, Singh, aside from his mom Paramjeet Kaur and three siblings, immigrated to Oman in 2003. The subsequent 12 months noticed Singh becoming a member of the cricket crew of Indian School in Muscat and the teen would play junior cricket for groups like Sidiq Jewellers earlier than he performed for Oman U-19 cricket crew in 2007 as wicket-keeper batsman. The following years would see Singh taking part in for company groups like Gulf Cricket, Enhance Cricket aside from first becoming a member of a job with Arabian Industries earlier than shifting to Khimji Ram Das Company in 2014.
He made his T20 debut in ICC League 2 in opposition to Oman in 2012 earlier than making his T20I debut in opposition to Afghanistan at Dublin in 2015. “During my time in India too, I was passionate about cricket and would play gully cricket with my cousins. I always liked watching Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag bat. It was only here in Muscat that I started playing cricket for my school team and later for corporate teams as junior as well senior cricketer. Cricket in Oman sees teams competing at corporate level and national team cricketers are not highly paid like India. I joined Arabian industries in 2011 before joining Khimji Ram Das Company in 2014 and now I work in the administration department. After the practice sessions in morning, I have to be on my job from 8.30 am to 5pm,” shares Singh.
The final six years have seen Singh taking part in in 19 ODIs and 29 T20Is for Oman and the 32-year-old has amassed 434 ODI runs and 770 T20I runs in his profession to date.
Last month, Singh additionally scored his maiden ODI hundred when he performed a knock of 107 runs off 62 balls in opposition to Nepal. The knock was the second-fastest century by a batsman from an ICC affiliate nation with Irish batsman Kevin O’ Brian on prime of the listing.

“Whenever I play wearing the Oman jersey, I tell my family that now they have two countries to support in cricket. In 2015 Asia Cup, I got to meet the Indian team members and it was memorable moment for me. To score my first ODI century last month was also special and it made me believe that I can score big at the international level. I also met Mumbai Ranji team players including Rajasthan Royals player Yashasvi Jaiswal and Mumbai coach Amol Majumdar earlier this year and we discussed a lot about cricket,” says Singh.
Oman might want to beat Bangladesh to have an opportunity at advancing to the second spherical and it could actually imply that the crew can face India later. “The team is confident of winning against Bangladesh. I wish to play against India some day and would like to face Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling. My favourite shot is reverse sweep and I would like to reverse sweep Indian spinners too,” shared Singh.