Auto driver’s son strikes it rich for State

November 18, 2012
Hosagavi_Sivalingaiah_Sharath


Meerut, November 18: Just over three years ago, a sturdy six-footer from Bangalore fired the imagination of the country with a sensational Ranji Trophy debut here against Uttar Pradesh. Abhimanyu Mithun scalped 11 wickets then, including a hat-trick, to script Karnataka’s crushing win over the hosts.

In a happy coincidence, Hosagavi Sivalingaiah Sharath made a memorable Ranji debut on Saturday at the same Victoria Park ground against the same opponents, bagging a five-wicket haul (5/60) that left Karnataka with a slight edge on the opening day. Incidentally, Sharath is playing this match only because Mithun is indisposed due to a back strain. Talk of grabbing the opportunity.

Sharath’s rise to prominence from a humble background is a poignant story. An average village kid growing up at Dodda Hosagavi in Mandya district and with a fascination for kabaddi, he caught the attention of cricket coach Mahadeva in Mandya while bowling with a tennis ball. This was to change his destiny. While his single-minded dedication towards the game is certainly paying off, the sacrifices of his father who dabbles between agriculture in his native place and driving an auto-rickshaw in Bangalore to meet the increasing expenses of his two sons who are still students—Sharath and his older brother Sagar—have played a key role in shaping the cricketer’s promising career.

“I couldn’t have taken care of my family with the limited income I was earning from agriculture,” Sivalingaiah told Deccan Herald. “After both my sons moved to Bangalore, one to study and the other to pursue cricket, I was forced to drive auto to earn more money. I spend 15 days a month in Bangalore driving my auto and another 15 taking care of my land,” said Sivalingaiah.

Despite his financial hardships, never did Sivalingaiah discourage his son from indulging in his passion. “Why should I? He (Sharath) had promised me that he would not sacrifice his studies and I trusted him. Both Sharath and I had thought he would play for the State in a couple of years but I?never knew the opportunity would come so soon. And to do so well in his first match. I am just happy that the struggles we have gone through aren’t going waste.”

Sharath, a well-built lad standing over six feet, himself had gone through many a struggle to reach this level. While training in Mandya with the Vidyaranya Cricket Club, he would invariably miss the 6:45 pm bus, the last one to his village, and would walk the 5 km distance in near darkness.

He followed this routine for nearly two years before shifting his base to Bangalore. In the lilting Mandya Kannada accent, the right-arm quick reels out all this information with an innocent smile and without a trace of pain.

“I couldn’t have hoped for a better start to my career,” he noted. Hopefully it’s just the beginning of bigger things to come.



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News Network
July 20,2020

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia 2020 has been postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

At today’s meeting of the IBC Board (the commercial subsidiary of the ICC), windows for the next three ICC men’s events were also agreed to bring clarity to the calendar and give the sport the best possible opportunity over the next three years to recover from the disruption caused by COVID-19.

The windows for the Men’s events are:

1. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be held October – November 2021 with the final on 14 November 2021

2. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will be held October – November 2022 with the final on 13 November 2022

3. ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will be held in India October – November 2023 with the final on 26 November 2023

The IBC Board agreed to continue to monitor the rapidly changing situation and assess all the information available in order to make a considered decision on future hosts to ensure the sport is able to stage safe and successful global events in 2021 and 2022.

The IBC Board will also continue to evaluate the situation in relation to being able to stage the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021 in New Zealand in February next year. In the meantime, planning for this event continues as scheduled.

The Board will also continue to evaluate the situation in relation to being able to stage the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021.

ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: “We have undertaken a comprehensive and complex contingency planning exercise and through this process, our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the sport.

“The decision to postpone the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was taken after careful consideration of all of the options available to us and gives us the best possible opportunity of delivering two safe and successful T20 World Cups for fans around the world.

“Our Members now have the clarity they need around event windows to enable them to reschedule lost bilateral and domestic cricket. Moving the Men’s Cricket World Cup to a later window is a critical element of this and gives us a better chance of maintaining the integrity of the qualification process. This additional time will be used to reschedule games that might be lost because of the pandemic ensuring qualification can be decided on the field of play.

“Throughout this process we have worked closely with our key stakeholders including governments, Members, broadcasters, partners and medical experts to enable us to reach a collective decision for the good of the game and our fans. I would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment to a safe return to cricket.”

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has donated an undisclosed amount to financially help 4,000 underprivileged people, including children from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tendulkar made the donation to the Hi5 Foundation, a non-profit organisation based out of Mumbai.

“Best wishes to team Hi5 for your efforts in supporting families of daily wage earners,” Tendulkar tweeted.

The organisation, through a tweet, thanked Tendulkar for doing his bit for the needy.

“Thanks @sachin_rt for proving once again that #sports encourages compassion! Your generous donation towards our #COVID19 fund enables us to financially aid 4000 underprivileged people, including children from @mybmc schools. Our budding sportspersons thank you, Little Master!”

The legendary batsman had earlier contributed Rs 25 lakh each to Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the country’s fight against COVID-19. Tendulkar had earlier pledged to bear the cost of feeding 5,000 people for a month in a couple of areas in Mumbai.

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News Network
March 21,2020

London, Mar 21: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has suspended all professional cricket till May 28, delaying the start of the new season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ECB took the decision following discussions with the First-Class Counties, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA).

"It was agreed that, given the current information available, a seven-week delay to the start of the season is the most appropriate approach," an ECB media statement said.

The Board also announced that it is working on three new options, including the three-Test series against West Indies, the T20 Cup and the women's schedule against India, for a possible start in June, July or August.

"Close liaison with the Government will continue, with discussions on the potential of starting the season behind closed doors and giving sports fans the opportunity to live broadcast action," the statement said on Friday.

"The potential for reduced versions of competitions, should the season become further truncated, will also be discussed."

The ECB said it will meet as needed to review the position and make further decisions as the UK situation unfolds.

"During this period of deep uncertainty it is the ECB’s first priority to protect the wellbeing of everyone within the cricket family, from players, to fans and colleagues across the game,’’ ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said.

"The decision to delay the start of the season has been essential, given the circumstances the nation faces. I am reassured by the collaborative effort from across the game that together, we will make the very best of whatever length of season we are able to safely schedule in the coming months," he added.

He said this would give the ECB time to keep pace with a fast-moving situation and continue to plan for how a revised season might look.

"Critically, we can also remain as flexible and adaptable as possible, within the obvious restrictions we face."

Last week, England's tour of Sri Lanka was called off mid tournament in view of the rising threat of the pandemic.

"Securing the future of the game will be a primary focus as we plot a revised schedule with an emphasis on the most financially important forms of the game for the counties across international and domestic cricket," Harrison said.

The COVID-19 global death toll has climbed past 11,000 with more than 250,000 infected. In UK, close to 4000 have tested positive so far and 177 died.

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