File photo of Harpreet Brar© AFP
Harpreet Brar has been one of the best bowlers for Punjab Kings in the ongoing IPL 2024 till now against during the match against Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, the left-arm spinner impressed both fans and experts with his brilliant bowling. Brar took the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube to bring PBKS back in the game after a good start for CSK and his disciplined bowling performance was key to restricting the opponent to a below-par score. However, there was a chance that Brar was going to let go of his dreams of playing cricket in India and instead opt for a life in Canada.
“Paaji pura Punjab hi Canada jana chahta hai (The entire Punjab wants to go to Canada).”
“Bahut frustration tha. (There was too much frustration). I was hopeless, but I think destiny had something else in store for me,” he added during an interview with The Indian Express.
Brar took the decision after playing U-16 cricket for Punjab but there was little progress after that as he was ignored by the junior selectors. However, he ultimately decided to stay in India and it paid off in 2017 as he was picked for the U-23 Punjab team.
The cricketer did not disappoint as he ended up taking 57 wickets to guide Punjab to victory in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy.
However, he has not featured for Punjab much since then but his two stints as a net bowler with the Indian cricket team has been a great source of encouragement. During his time with the team during Asia Cup 2022 and the West Indies tour of India in the same year, he earned a lot of praise from head coach Rahul Dravid.
“Those words gave him hope. Everyone was impressed and surprised as well that I am yet to make my first-class debut. Two years have gone since but I am optimist that next time I will go in that dressing room as a player not as a net bowler,” said Brar.
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