Steve Waugh’s son features in Oz U19 World Cup squad
For Silvia and Kuldeep Sangha, it was like a festival as friends and relatives poured into their house in New Castle to congratulate them on their 18-year-old son Jason Sangha being named captain of the Australia U-19 team for the
ICC Youth World Cup to be held in New Zealand next month.
When Sangha walks out to the captains’ parade at the start of the World Cup, he will be the first cricketer of an Indian-origin to lead an Australia team. Recently, the Australian teenager, who figured in the Cricket Australia XI, became the youngest cricketer since Sachin Tendulkar to score a first-class century against England at 18 years and 71 days, against an attack led by England stars Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes.
“It is an honour to lead your country in such a tournament. It is something I had dreamt about. I could have been in the U-19 Australian team for the last World Cup in Bangladesh at 16. Hopefully, we will fare well in New Zealand as we have a balanced unit which has been playing together for a long time now,” said Jason, who was part of the preliminary team for last U-19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
Australia had withdrawn from that tournament because for security reasons, however, Sangha was still able to represent his country in Youth ODIS against Pakistan and New Zealand in Dubai. Sangha made the right noises at 16 and become the youngest player in NSW cricket to be awarded a state rookie contract.
His father was a native of Bhatinda in Punjab, and was a state level athlete who then moved to Australia in the 1980’s for higher education with an aim to making a name for the Sangha family. Cut to 2017: His son
It is an honour to lead your country. It is something I had dreamt about. I could have been in the team for the last World Cup in Bangladesh at 16. JASON SANGHA, On captaincy
Jason, is making the Sangha family popular with his cricket accolades.
Another cricketer of the Indian-origin, Param Uppal, 18, also of New South Wales is a classy right-handed batsman who scored 370 runs at this year’s under-19 championships at an impressive average of over 60. Uppal also bowls right-arm offspin.
Praising the Sydney-based Uppal, Sangha said, “It is wonderful to have fine cricketer like Param in the team. His all-round abilities can turn it around. We would like to give our best and bring back the title back to Australia.” Sangha’s parents own four Indian restaurants by the name of “Raj’s corner” in New Castle. SYDNEY: Steve Waugh’s allrounder son Austin was on Friday named in the 15-man squad, led by promising Jason Sangha, for the under-19 World Cup in New Zealand next month.
The squad also includes Will Sutherland, the Victorian allrounder and son of Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland, as the vice-captain.
Former Australia paceman Ryan Harris will coach the side assisted by former opener Chris Rogers during the three-week tournament.
Australia, who are in Group B, will commence their World Cup campaign against India on January 14 at Tauranga’s Bay Oval, followed by matches against Zimbabwe (Jan 17) and Papua New Guinea (Jan 19) in Christchurch.