Once the T20 World Cup started, Jemimah’s father couldn’t stop himself from travelling to Australia.

As India takes on Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup final, standing by their side at the Melbourne Cricket Ground are their parents — some boarding a plane for the first time, others putting together a surprise to watch the young women take flight. Ma & Daddy’s little girls are now ready to conquer the world.

Father, coach, cheerleader

by Devendra Pandey

Ivan Rodrigues wanted to travel to Australia to watch his daughter Jemimah play in the T20 World Cup but there was a problem. Rodrigues runs coaching classes along with wife Lavita in the Mumbai suburb Bandra, and if both travelled, the students’ studies would be affected. However, they decided to apply for a visa, just in case. When a friend showed interest in travelling to watch Jemimah play, Ivan, who is also Jemimah’s coach, could rein in his desire no longer.

“I wasn’t sure whether I shall go, I was keen to go but there was classes. My friend Sunny, who had once done a video shoot of Jemimah in her childhood days, too was keen. My wife one day suddenly said, ’ok, you go, I will manage’. We boarded the flight before the first T20 game and came here,” Ivan told The Sunday Express from Australia. Lavita too would eventually join them just before the semifinal.
The father didn’t tell Jemimah about his travel plans. So when she saw him at a practice session, she was speechless with joy.

“Many children don’t want their parents to see their game because they get tense. In my case, it’s a bit different. She likes me to be with her,” Ivan adds. Before every game, Jemimah will look out for her dad, whether he had reached the venue or not. He points out, “Whenever she enters the ground, she sees where is her Dadda sitting. I have to wave to her. We encourage, scream and cheer for the whole Indian team.”

Ivan’s brother lives in Sydney, so things have been easy for the family. The father says his chats with his daughter have only been about remaining positive. They don’t talk much about cricket. But after the final on Sunday, things will be different.

Rohtak man’s long journey

by Vishal Menon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Shafali Verma was scorching the run-scoring charts, in faraway Rohtak, father Sanjeev was busy planning his first international sojourn. He had been confident all along that India would progress to the final and hence was leaving no stone unturned to watch his daughter bat at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground. “Papa has been constantly on the phone, talking to BCCI officials and urging them to complete the visa formalities so that he can fly to Australia,” Sanjeev’s son and Shafali’s younger brother Sahil told The Sunday Express. Two weeks ago, when he finally received his visa, Sanjeev could barely control his emotions. “It was a proud moment for him because it was his first international trip, and he was getting an opportunity because of his daughter,” Sahil notes. However, this will not be the first time Sanjeev will be watching Shafali bat in an international game. Last year, during the Women’s T20 Challenge in Jaipur, the entire family had driven to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

Mother Pravin Bala also wanted to accompany Sanjeev to Australia. But “she does not have a passport yet. My father, too, had applied for it only in December,” Sahil explains. After landing in Sydney, an excited Sanjeev put out a Whatsapp status — showing a panoramic view of the Sydney Cricket Ground — the venue for the semifinal between India and England, which ironically never took place.

Ahead of the final, Sanjeev continues to spend most of his time on the phone. “Ever since he landed in Melbourne, my father has been regularly checking weather updates on his phone as doesn’t want another washout. The other day, he told me that he was very happy because Melbourne was sunny… ‘yahaan baarish ki koi sambhavana nahin hai,‘” he said.

Pravin will watch the final on television with relatives but Sahil prefers to soak up contest in the company of close friends and coaches from his cricket academy, where a gigantic LED TV has been installed.

Moga to Melbourne for Harman’s birthday

by Nitin Sharma

Harmanpreet’s parents will be in the stands as her daughter will play the WT20 World Cup final on her birthday.

Growing up at Moga in Punjab, Harmanpreet Kaur wouldn’t have imagined that one day she would be celebrating her birthday at the more-than-150-year-old Melbourne Cricket Ground. That she would also be leading the Indian cricket team in a World Cup final on that day, with her parents, brothers and several classmates in the stands, wouldn’t even have featured in her wildest dreams. On Sunday, all of that will come true.

However, considering her storied journey from playing cricket on the streets of Moga to wearing the India Blue at Melbourne, Harmanpreet now wants more. In that happy frame with friends and family at the MCG, she would also want the gleaming World Cup in her hands.

The coming together of her “near and dear ones” for this special 31st birthday wasn’t planned. Before leaving for the World Cup Down Under, Harmanpreet had insisted that her parents accompany her on this important trip. Like most folks, they were reluctant. The anxiety of their first foreign flight, alien land and missing home were among the several excuses they gave. Her mother had never watched her play, and as for the father, Harmandar Singh Bhullar, the last time he went to a ground for her game was when she was in school.

Just before the start of the World Cup, Harmanpreet got a call from Moga. Her parents had this sudden urge to see their daughter lead India. The daughter was delighted. Soon she was on the phone arranging tickets and visas for her parents and brother Gurjinder Singh. By the time the three boarded the flight and landed in Sydney, it was the eve of India’s semi-final against England. Excited to watch their Harman play, the Bhullars took their seats in the special ICC hospitality box. However, the washed-out game extended their wait. But the joy of realising that India was one win away from the Cup was overwhelming.

Father Harmandar, speaking to The Sunday Express from Australia, says he can’t wait for the final. “We have never travelled out of India. Last week, we told Harman that we would love to watch her hold the World Cup trophy. She arranged for our flight tickets and the visa was processed. Sunday’s final will be the first time that our whole family will be watching Harman and the Indian team play,” he says.

The Bhullars have family in Australia. Harmanpreet’s sister is based in Sydney — this being the major reason she preferred playing for a franchise based out of the city in the Big Bash League. Though the responsibility of being the captain and team protocol hasn’t allowed the skipper to spend time with her family, she did have a meal with them before the semifinal.

The father informs that she, along with India players Harleen Deol and Radha Yadav, came to meet them. “Harman loves home- cooked food and whenever we used to visit her in Mohali, she would ask us to bring some home food. She really loves pinnis (laddoos). We could not bring some home food to Australia but there are plenty of Punjabi restaurants here. Harman has not played a big knock till now in this tournament but we are sure that she will handle the pressure of playing in the final well and we will have the opportunity to do some bhangra at the MCG,” adds Bhullar.

Also in Australia is Harmanpreet’s coach Yadwinder Singh Sodhi, who moved out of India in 2016 and is currently working as training coordinator with Mawson Lakes Cricket Club in Adelaide. “I have been talking with Harman over phone prior to the tournament also and I believe that the best batting position for her is number three. Even though she takes some time to settle, she can hit big shots and can be very destructive, which she has done in the past too. Lately, she has been aiming to play square or behind square and that has resulted in her dismissals. Her strength has been hitting straight towards long-on and long-off and towards mid-wicket and once she regains that, she will play a destructive role in T20Is,” shares Sodhi.

The coach, along with close to 10 of Harmanpreet’s former school mates from Moga — most are married and settled in Australia — watched the India-New Zealand league game. The same group will be at the MCG on Sunday. “Harman missed the Big Bash league last year due to an injury and we could not watch her play. All of us cheered for Harman and other Indian players last week and took her out for dinner to a Punjabi restaurant in Melbourne. It’s important for a player to spend some time off the field to relax and we talked about her early days of training apart from her signing bats for my friends,” adds Sodhi.

As for the Bhullar family, they will also be celebrating Kaur’s 31st birthday on Sunday and watching her try to give a big return birthday gift to the nation. “It’s her birthday on Sunday and to see her hold the World Cup trophy will be the biggest gift for us and for the nation,” shares Bhullar.