Xtra Time Web Desk: It has been a dream come true for Indian origin farmer Joga Singh Sangha whose young son Tanveer has been picked in the Australian T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Tanveer Sangha is only the second Indian-origin player to make it to the Australian national cricket team after Jason Sangha. The young leg spinner was named in the 18-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against the BlackCaps.
19 year old Tanveer Sangha is among three uncapped players picked for the five-match T20I series in New Zealand. Sangha, who made a name for himself in the ICC U-19 World Cup in South Africa last year and the Big Bash League, is expected to make his debut during the tour.
Tanveer’s father Joga moved to Australia in 1997 then became a Taxi driver in Sydney. The leg-spinner’s mother works as an accountant. Joga hails from Rahimpur, a village 20km from Jalandhar.
Interestingly, it was another player with a Punjabi link who became the first Indian-origin cricketer to represent Australia. Gurinder Singh Sandhu, a right-arm pacer, made his debut in 2015 against India in Melbourne in an ODI match.
Sangha made his BBL debut in 2020 for Sydney Thunder, and has taken 21 wickets in 14 T20 matches, more than reputed names like Adam Zampa and Rashid Khan.