Who Is Tanveer Sangha? [Source: @ThunderBBL/x.com]
Australia have pulled a surprise move by bringing in Tanveer Sangha for their Champions Trophy semi-final against India. With spin-friendly conditions in Dubai, they have decided to roll the dice on the young leggie.
IND vs AUS: Who Is Tanveer Sangha?
Born on 26 November 2001, Tanveer Sangha has leg-spin in his veins. He rose to prominence as Australia’s top wicket-taker in the 2020 Under-19 Cricket World Cup where he snagged 15 wickets like a seasoned pro. Not long after, he was making batters dance to his tunes in the Big Bash League (BBL) for Sydney Thunder.
His BBL debut in 2020 was one for the books. Two wickets for 26 runs against Melbourne Stars, and just like that, people took notice. By the end of the tournament, he had bagged 21 wickets at an economy of 8.04 and finished as the highest wicket-taking spinner of the season.
Sangha’s father Joga Singh, originally from Punjab, India, moved to Australia and worked as a taxi driver in Sydney. His mother, Upjeet Kaur, is an accountant. Despite their humble backgrounds, they backed Sangha’s cricketing dream all the way.
Sangha didn’t take long to climb the ranks. In 2021, he was called up to Australia’s T20I squad against New Zealand at just 19. Then came his debut against South Africa in August 2023, where he ripped through the opposition with 4/31: Australia’s best T20I debut figures in nearly two decades.
Tanveer Sangha Stats
Format | Matches | Wickets | Best Figures | Bowling Average | Economy Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODIs | 3 | 2 | 1/61 | 79.50 | 6.91 |
T20Is | 7 | 10 | 4/31 | 24.90 | 8.89 |
FC | 13 | 37 | 4/56 | 35.97 | 3.06 |
List A | 14 | 16 | 4/21 | 40.25 | 5.86 |
T20s | 53 | 68 | 4/14 | 20.01 | 7.49 |
A Spin Option Australia Needed
With Dubai’s pitches gripping and turning, Australia have placed their bets on Sangha’s control and flight. He’s got variations up his sleeve and isn’t afraid to give the ball some air. That’s the kind of bowler you need when the stakes are high.
Sangha has already shown he belongs at this level but the semi-final against India will be his biggest challenge yet. Can he hold his nerve against the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli? Can he spin a web around India’s famed batting lineup in the IND vs AUS Champions Trophy semi-final? One thing’s for sure: Tanveer Sangha is a name we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the years to come.