A boy at whom people laughed for dreaming of becoming a cricketer makes Punjab Kings weep

By K.R. Nayar 

Kartik Tyagi, the hero of the Rajasthan Royals' victory, was said to have been laughed at by friends and relatives as a youngster when he'd revealed that he would be pursuing a career in cricket. On Tuesday he produced one of the finest last overs in an Indian Premier League match, giving away just one run and taking two wickets, to help Rajasthan pull off a two-run win over Punjab Kings.

Kartik Tyagi. Photo: Rajasthan Royals Twitter 

Rajasthan Royals' 20-year-old Kartik Tyagi is said to be a stubborn youngster. Once he makes up his mind to do something, he goes full out for it and achieves it. He has done this all through his cricketing career. On Tuesday, by producing one of the greatest last overs in an Indian Premier League match, he bowled Rajasthan Royals to a stunning victory.

Punjab Kings needed only four runs to win off the last over but Tyagi was determined not to give away those runs. He gave away just one run and took two wickets to crush Punjab, who were sailing smoothly to victory.

Kartik Tyagi strikes 

Born in Hapur in Western Uttar Pradesh, India, Tyagi is the son of a farmer. His rise to fame wasn’t easy. All the way he had to surmount obstacles and was pushed to tough situations, similar to what he faced against Punjab on Tuesday. When he decided to start playing cricket, he was faced with huge financial problems at home. Fortunately, Tyagi’s father and uncle supported him to chase his dream.

When friends and relatives were told that his ambition was to become a cricketer, many laughed at his idea. Some people went to the extent of telling him bluntly that he should be in the fields helping his father instead of playing cricket. But Tyagi’s father had belief in his son and encouraged him. Tyagi performed well in almost every match he played. Soon he got selected to play for the India Under-19 team. In the 2020 Under-19 World Cup, he produced a deadly four-wicket spell to oust Australia.

Kartik Tyagi does it

Very soon all those who laughed at him started to applaud and appreciate him. They realised that he was a boy who would make things happen once he had decided on something. Today, his villagers are so proud of him that when he got selected for the IPL people celebrated the occasion by carrying Tyagi’s father on their shoulders around the village. Tyagi lived up to his father's belief in him. On Tuesday, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson too believed in him and remarked after the match. “I always believe in my bowlers.  I had on purpose kept the overs of Mustafizur and Tyagi for the end.” Proud to have won the match for his team, he proudly remarked after the match that " I knew I have the death-overs skills."  

Tyagi was injured during the Indian leg of this IPL, but he recovered in time for the UAE matches.  He is also determined not to live on Tuesday’s glory. He says his father always told him to “Forget about the day’s match after it is over and shift your focus on to the next one and give your best.” He has also proved that his best can be bad for the opponents and that it would make his team laugh all the way to the pavilion like they did on Tuesday after pulling off an unexpected victory.