From selling off mother’s jewellery for spikes to dream IPL debut: Sakib’s journey
Sakib Hussain, a young cricketer from Bihar, made a remarkable IPL debut, taking 4 wickets for 24 runs. His journey from poverty, where his mother sold jewelry for his cricket spikes, highlights his resilience. Hussain's talent and determination, despite financial struggles, have propelled him to the big stage, with aspirations to reach 150 kph next season.
NEW DELHI: If Praful Hinge stepped into the limelight with his new-ball spell for Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, his partner sharing the new ball, Sakib Hussain, caught everyone’s attention towards the end of the Rajasthan Royals innings. Sakib finished with figures of 4/24, matching the best bowling performance by an Indian on IPL debut, as his slow off-cutters did the trick. “This fearless prodigy Sakib Hussain looks very talented.
At the start of the chase, he got the big wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal with the new ball. Later, he showed his ability to bowl the slow off-cutter and his ability to nail them took everyone by surprise. His slower delivery gave Mustafizur Rahman vibes and he feels like a right-handed version of Mustafizur,” former New Zealand bowler Mitchell McClenaghan said later.
If the IPL propelled Sakib on to the big stage, there was a time when it was difficult for him to even have two square meals a day. Hailing from Gopalganj district in Bihar, Sakib’s story of playing cricket at the highest level is reduced to the bare essentials and grounded in survival. “ Khone ke liye to kuch nahi hai, paane ke liye bas yehi hai.
Jo karna hai so yehi karenge (There is nothing to lose for me, and what I have to gains is just this... so I will continue to pursue this and give my best),” Sakib says. Sakib’s childhood was unforgiving.