Tanveer Sangha, Indian-origin World Cup-bound Australian player, rattles South Africa with four-fer on debut

Add as a preferred source on Google

Tanveer Sangha made a dream debut for Australia on Wednesday and finished with figures of 4/31 in four overs against South Africa in the first T20I at the Kingsmead in Durban.

The 21-year-old leg-spinner, who has been picked in Australia's preliminary squad for the World Cup 2023 in India, picked the wickets of South Africa captain Aiden Markram, debutant Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen to rip through the Proteas middle-order which helped the Kangaroos register a massive 111-run win.

The match figures by Sangha are the best figures on Australia men's T20I debut in 18 years. He wasn't part of the original eleven and his late inclusion in the squad came only after Adam Zampa's illness ahead of the match.

"I don't think Tanveer's heart rate gets over 100. He was in the gym when he found out and he was pretty chilled and said he's ready to go and it appears that he keeps it very simple, which will hold him in good stead for top level cricket. His demeanour is fantastic. I'm proud of him to come in and have a debut like that. He's got a great smile, so hopefully we see it for many years to come," Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said while praising Tanveer Sangha.

The Sydney Thunder star has an Indian origin. His fatherJoga Sangha, who is a taxi driver, migrated to Australia in 1997 from Rahimpur, a village near Punjab's Jalandhar in India. He came to Australia for education but now works as a taxi driver in Sydney. Tanveer's mother Upneet Sangha works as an accountant and the family lives in the southwestern suburbs of Sydney.

Tanveer Sangha shot to fame by finishing as the leading wicket-taker for Australia at the U-19 World Cup 2020. He picked a total of 15 wickets in six games including two four-wicket hauls and a five-fer. In the match against India, he clean bowled India's highest run-scorer Yashasvi Jaiswal.

The kind of maturity Sangha showed in his first outing for Australia has increased his chance of being named in the Australia main squad for the World Cup 2023. He is part of the following ODI series against South Africa and the 3-match ODI series against India ahead of the mega event which starts from October 5.