IPL Diary: When UAE's veteran cricketer bagged IPL's first century-maker's wicket

 By K.R. Nayar

Freddy Sidhwa celebrates his 78th birthday today with memories of dismissing IPL stars Brendon McCullum and Dale Steyn at the Lord's Cricket ground. Read here in full my IPL Diary that appeared in Gulf News.

Freddy Sidhwa wins a caught behind decision against Brendon McCullum at Lord's

UAE’s veteran cricketer celebrates his 78th birthday  (September 19) with the honour of having once bagged the of Indian Premier League’s first century-maker Brendon McCullum at the Lord’s Cricket Ground four years ago. This septuagenarian who has never stopped playing cricket had even three months ago bagged a man of the match award in a domestic tournament. He is happy that his birthday coincides with the start of the 13th edition of the IPL, and that too in the UAE.

Sidhwa got McCullum, who had scored an unbeaten 158 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening match of the IPL in 2008, caught behind with his accurate left-arm spin in the annual JP Morgan tournament at the historic Lord's Cricket Ground  This tournament is regularly held at the Lord’s for JP Morgan clients teaming up with some of the world’s most renowned players like Sunil Gavaskar, Kumar Sangakkara, Wasim Akram, Jeff Thomson, Andrew Strauss, Graham Gooch taking part in it. Sidhwa believes in the dictum ‘Don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”


Recalling the memory of the wicket before celebrating his birthday, he said: “McCullum hit the first ball of my second over for a huge six into the stands; so I bowled the second delivery a little slower as I often have trapped many batsmen with my slow delivery. McCullum, shaping for another big hit, edged to the wicketkeeper. It was a dream moment for me. My captain and former England skipper Andrew Strauss and all team members hugged me and I enjoyed the scene on the giant screen at Lords of me celebrating that wicket.”

Sidhwa went on to perform even better in the 2018 edition by bagging the man of the final award. In that match, he took the wicket of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s legendary star Dale Steyn. So impressed was Steyn that he presented Sidhwa a bat with the words: “You are the definition of the spirit of cricket”.

Sidhwa who captains Seven Seas and Ocean Fair Club in domestic matches and makes sure to play every Friday, even in the peak of summer, says. “I never let any weekend pass without playing cricket. When I play cricket, I feel like a 24-year-old boy. I also make sure that all those who love cricket in my organisation play in the matches too.”  One of his birthdays, Sidhwa produced a six-wicket spell to ensure Seven Seas a victory over Emrill Cricket Club.

 

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