'Respect' - Fans laud Mandeep Singh for playing the game against SRH despite losing his father
It was very brave of the 28-year-old to grace the match field even after suffering a personal loss.
The Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) registered a nail-biting victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 12 runs in a must-win game on October 25, Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. However, it was an emotional walk for the Punjab opening batsman Mandeep Singh, who opened the innings for the franchise as Mayank Agarwal was unavailable for the selection.
The right-handed batsman lost his father 68-year-old former athletics coach Hardev Singh Friday night and attended the last rites through a video call Saturday afternoon. Mandeep’s father was suffering from a liver infection and was on ventilator support at a Mohali hospital where he breathed his last. Mourning over the death of Hardev Singh, the KXIP players had sported the black armbands.
It was very brave of the 28-year-old to grace the match field even after suffering a personal loss. Mandeep was lauded by many cricket pundits and fans for his dedication towards the game and the willingness of contributing to his team. The official Twitter handle of the Punjab-based franchise also hailed their batsman for putting up a brave face as coming to bat.
They tweeted, “Lost his father last night, but Mandy’s out here to open! Way to go, Mandy,”
Sachin Tendulkar is all praises for Mandeep Singh
The former Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra also heaped praises on the batsman for his commitment and dedication towards the game. Chopra tweeted, “Brave of Mandeep to turn up for the game tonight. Lost his father….yet he’s here putting up a brave face. Strength to you and family. Deepest condolences. #IPL2020,”
A similar incident had also taken place in the afternoon clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) where Nitish Rana had played the match despite losing his father-in-law Surinder. Rana had smashed a half-century in the match and had dedicated it to his late father-in-law. Former Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar praised both the youngsters for their bravery and dedication.
Sachin tweeted, “Loss of a loved one hurts, but what’s more heartbreaking is when one doesn’t get to say a final goodbye. Praying for @mandeeps12, @NitishRana_27 and their families to heal from this tragedy. Hats off for turning up today. Well played.”
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