The International Cricket Council, cricket’s top body, expressed their gratitude at the 2007 T20 World Cup hero Joginder Sharma after he joined the battle against coronavirus in India. Post his cricketing career, Sharma serves the Indian police as Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Final of a world cup. The first world cup of the format. A young inexperienced Indian side under a new leader, MS Dhoni against the experienced arch-rivals Pakistan. Misbah-Ul-Haq, the explosive batsman of Pakistan was at the crease well set at 35. Pakistan was nine down. They needed 13 off the last over. MS Dhoni looked at Joginder Sharma who was not at his best in the match. Joginder Sharma gave 7 runs in the first two balls including a wide. The following delivery went onto define India’s cricketing decade later. Misbah tries to paddle sweep and finds a fielder. India lifts the world cup. Joginder Sharma becomes a hero.
Interestingly, post the world cup, Sharma was not seen in the Indian Squad. With senior players embracing the format, there was little chance for an outsider. A few years later, Sharma was seen serving the Haryana Police.
Joginder Sharma Joins the fight Against COVID-19
India 2020. The situation is vastly different than in 2007. The pandemic of coronavirus has engulfed the country and even the globe. With over 1,000 positive cases and 23 fatalities, experts believe India is yet to climb the curve. Joginder Sharma, the hero of 2007 has once again in the line of service to the nation as he joined the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Since India is under a 21-day lockdown period, strict instructions have been laid out to citizens about the do’s and don’t’s. Despite several prompt appeals, there were visuals of people coming out unnecessarily. The Police are given the responsibility to ensure the smooth sailing of the lockdown. The police are also expected to make sure the quarantined patients don’t run away after incidents of such were reported.
On Saturday, visuals floated around of Joginder Sharma, now Deputy Superintended of Police, in action to contain the highly contagious COVID-19 disease. Spotting this, the International Cricket Council expressed their gratitude with a tweet.
2007: #T20WorldCup hero ?
2020: Real world hero ?In his post-cricket career as a policeman, India's Joginder Sharma is among those doing their bit amid a global health crisis.
[? Joginder Sharma] pic.twitter.com/2IAAyjX3Se— ICC (@ICC) March 28, 2020
