Emerging as a potential game-changer, the youthful leg-spin sensation, Tanveer Sangha, has surged into contention for the upcoming World Cup. His name finds a prominent spot in Australia’s expansive 18-player ODI squad, a strategic move in preparation for the much-anticipated tournament scheduled for commencement in October.
Despite an absence from competitive cricket spanning nearly a year, owing to a stress-induced lower-back injury that struck on the brink of the previous summer, this rising star from NSW and the Sydney Thunder has made an impressive comeback. His unwavering determination has earned him a well-deserved place in the squad slated for a rigorous five-match ODI tour of South Africa, followed by a captivating three-match tour of India.
As the countdown to the World Cup intensifies, Australia’s selectors hold the reins of decision-making until September 28. This pivotal date marks the aftermath of the third ODI in India, by which the ODI squad must be trimmed down to the elite 15 players—a number that adheres to the World Cup’s maximum player allowance.
Tanveer’s father, Joga Sangha, comes from a village near Jalandhar in India. Joga moved to Australia in 1997 for education before eventually settling down in the southwestern suburbs of Sydney where Tanveer was born in 2001. Tanveer’s father works as a taxi driver in Sydney, while his mother, Upneet, works as an accountant in Sydney.
Tanveer made his Twenty20 debut on 12 December 2020, for the Sydney Thunder, in the 2020–21 Big Bash League. In January 2021, Sangha was named in Australia’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against New Zealand. He made his first-class debut on 27 October 2021, for New South Wales in the 2021–22 Sheffield Shield season. He made his List A debut on 24 November 2021, for New South Wales in the 2021–22 Marsh One-Day Cup. In August 2022 he was signed by Birmingham Phoenix to play in The Hundred.
George Bailey, the head of the selection committee, highlighted that Tanveer Sangha’s potential for greater achievements had been identified well in advance. He also indicated that the talented leg-spinner was poised for a debut on one of the forthcoming tours, underlining the anticipation surrounding his participation.
“He’s been on our radar for a long time,” Bailey said.
“His Big Bash form when he’s been fit and playing has been excellent so he’s one that we’re really impressed with (his) character, the way he prepares and thinks about the game.”
Tanveer Sangha’s meteoric rise and remarkable comeback saga exemplify his readiness to embrace the global stage, potentially leaving an indelible mark on cricket’s grandest spectacle.
Australia’s ODI squad (To be trimmed to 15 for the ODI World Cup in India): Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
