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Dubai: How an 82-year-old man played cricket with teenagers and inspired them
At a time when Lamine Yamal, FC Barcelona's Spanish teen sensation, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old IPL wonderkid, have astounded the world with their explosive talent and youthful flair, an octogenarian in Dubai is quietly inspiring the UAE's young cricketers to work hard for a shot at glory.
Freddy Sidhwa is not a legendary cricketer, but his passion for the game is the stuff of legend.
The 82-year-old Dubai-based Indian businessman still plays cricket every weekend at Ocean Fair Cricket Ground, a scenic cricket facility he built in the Dubai Investment Park.
A left-arm spinner, Sidhwa even claimed the wickets of Brendon McCullum, Rashid Khan and Dale Steyn in community matches at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.
But more than those unforgettable moments at the world's most iconic cricket stadium, it's Sidhwa's unwavering commitment to the game that has inspired many in the UAE.
Gopal Jasapara, head coach of Dubai-based G Force Cricket Academy, recently took his Under 14 team for a match with Sidhwa's side at Ocean Fair Cricket Ground.
'I wanted my boys to learn from Mr Sidhwa about passion and discipline. I had 12 and 13-year-old boys who played against an 82-year-old man,' Jasapara told the Khaleej Times.
'He is 82, but he still plays every Sunday. He never leaves the ground until the end of the match. To see his passion is an incredible experience.'
The secret to Sidhwa's fitness is his discipline, as he wakes up at 3 every morning and practices yoga to keep his body and mind in perfect shape.
"Everything is in your mind, you have to be mentally strong. If you are a mentally strong person, you can achieve everything," Sidhwa had said during an interview with Khaleej Times in 2023 after playing a game of T20 cricket at his ground.
It was a big motivation for the G Force Academy team to see Sidhwa give his heart and soul to the game.
'You know he also built a cricket team, brought players from Pakistan and India and gave them jobs. It's very hard to find people like him,' Jasapara said.
'So sharing the cricket ground with him was not only a great experience for our boys, but it also taught them important lessons that will hopefully help them in every aspect of life, not just cricket.'
