Paceman Mohammed Siraj said he feared his humble roots as the son of an auto-rickshaw driver would shatter his dreams of playing at the ICC Cricket World Cup.
However, on Saturday, the 29-year-old fast bowler played a crucial role in India’s seven-wicket rout of archrivals Pakistan at Ahmedabad’s 132,000-seater ground, the world’s biggest cricket arena.
He dismissed opener Abdullah Shafique lbw for 20 and later claimed the prize wicket of Pakistan captain Babar Azam who had made 50.
Photo: AFP
From 155-2, Pakistan collapsed to 191 all out in 42.5 overs.
“To be honest I never thought that I would play a World Cup because I have come from so low” background, Hyderabad native Siraj told reporters.
Siraj, whose rickshaw-driving father died in 2020, rose from his humble beginnings to play in the cash-soaked Indian Premier League.
He made his ODI debut in 2019 and Test bow the following year.
“Now I am playing so it is a matter of achievement for me. India and Pakistan are known for their high intensity and high-pressure games and today I saw that and I felt good,” he said.
Siraj went wicketless for 76 runs in India’s previous win over Afghanistan, but came roaring back on Saturday.
“Everyone has an off day. The graph can come down sometimes and one bad day doesn’t make me a bad performer,” said Siraj.
Captain Rohit Sharma also shined on Saturday, with not just umpire Marais Erasmus marveling at Sharma’s six-hitting prowess.
Watching him dismantle the Pakistan attack, teammate Hardik Pandya, a formidable hitter himself, said it felt more “like PlayStation” than cricket with Rohit on the rampage.
Pakistan could not manage a single six, but Rohit alone clobbered half a dozen as India, turbocharged by the skipper’s 86 off 63 balls, completed a modest chase with nearly 20 overs to spare.
After hitting one of those monster sixes, the opener was seen flexing his muscle in front of a grinning Erasmus.
India top the points table after a hat-trick of wins.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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