New Delhi, Aug 13 Former India left-arm fast bowler RP Singh shared vivid memories of being in the celebrations following the 2007 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumph, saying that the parade which the team undertook after landing in Mumbai was beyond anything he ever imagined.
Singh took 12 wickets in seven games, as MS Dhoni-led India won the first-ever T20 World Cup in South Africa in September 2007. “We won the T20 World Cup in South Africa, celebrated there, and then landed in Dubai, where a few people congratulated us for lifting the trophy. When we finally landed in Mumbai, we thought we had achieved something special, but the celebration parade was beyond anything I had imagined.”
“The roads were closed, and people were throwing things, chocolates, and even a small cake that someone tossed towards me saying, ‘Please hold it and cut it.’ I told them, ‘Don’t do this, it might fall.’ It was raining, yet the crowds’ energy was electric, with people celebrating wildly alongside us,” said Singh in an episode of ‘Cheeky Singles’ on JioHotstar.
He also recounted a memorable moment from a Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and his state team Uttar Pradesh in Meerut, involving the legendary Rahul Dravid. “There was a Ranji Trophy match going on in Meerut, Karnataka vs Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Dravid bhai had come to play and scored 199 runs.
“That night, we went to dinner at someone’s house. India’s match was going on that day, and Sachin paaji was batting. He was playing a run-a-ball innings. We were both sitting on the side, and people were saying, ‘Sachin should play a little faster’. But he was playing according to the situation of the match. Rahul bhai whispered in my ear, ‘If they are saying so much to him, then how much would they have said to me?’” he recalled.
On a lighter note, Singh, who played 14 Tests, 58 ODIs and 10 T20Is for India, revealed he has been mistaken for other well-known personalities, including Rohit Sharma. “I’ve been mistaken for Rohit Sharma on several occasions, not just once, but many times. And it doesn’t stop there. Someone even called me ‘George Clooney’ once on social media. I told them, ‘Now that’s too much!’”
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