Canadian dreams of making CPL T20 debut

Fans can expect indepth coverage of the Trinbago Knight Riders players, their off-field activities, previews and of course match reports.

Hamza Tariq has been touted as one of Canada’s most promising batsmen, even before gaining selection to the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) defending champs, Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR). Ardent fans have compared his style of batting to Ricky Ponting and Mohammad Yousuf in the past; both players he views as icons. His favourite shot is the lofted cover- drive, however, is something he aims to perfect in the mould of his one true hero, Adam Gilchrist.

The 25-year-old was on a Cricket Canada central contract but after they exited the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand, things went awry.

Tariq’s ambition met disaster as Canada lost their One-Day status which was accompanied by the cutting of the ICC funding needed to pay players full-time. When he found out about his CPL pick last February, Tariq was occupied with a mid-term exam in accounting at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

It was due a few days later as part of his junior-year business degree coursework.

“Getting that funding cut was hard because you couldn’t be a full-time cricketer anymore. That really hits your dreams hard,” he said as he recalled watching Canada at the 2011 World Cup.

A dream he hoped to emulate, having made his ODI debut (highest score 71) later that year against Afghanistan.

He’s played seven since and also, debuted in Twenty20 cricket (highest score 42) against Kenya two years later.

Less than 24 hours before the draft, he said his chances of CPL selection were at “one percent”. Even though he was deemed as the ICC Americas’ number one wicketkeeper heading into the Nagico Super50, Tariq felt his draft prospects were hurt by the fact that he missed the first two games of the tournament due to the flu on arrival in Trinidad.

But he reignited hope with 35 off 14 balls in the final match against Jamaica, with seven exhilarating boundaries that had him “playing for a new contract.” He hoped it would be enough to convince a franchise to pick him.

He knew with the TT diaspora back in Canada, a shot in the CPL would be a major feat and a chance to show his true capability.

He prayed for it to be TKR as he’s long admired the astute disposition of Daren Ganga when captaining TT . As a kid growing up in Pakistan until the age of 12, he acquired an appreciation for all things Bollywood, including the films of owner Shah Rukh Khan, which would make TKR an even sweeter deal.

Just minutes after the mid-term, Tariq opened up his computer.

“I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t catch my breath,” he divulged as he saw his name and profile picture on the CPL draft live stream. As he watched it dragged with a mouse into the TKR pool, his heart skipped beats. “Overwhelmed,” is how he best describes it. “My eyes were red at the moment. It was a pretty big thing for me and I worked so hard towards getting something like this for a while. Finally, I got it.

It was something very special,” elaborated Tariq.

“I’m very blessed.

The prayers from my friends, family and well-wishers, it’s all because of them.

I didn’t think that I would get picked, especially by the Knight Riders, but getting picked by my favourite team is something that I wasn’t expecting and something very special to me,” he added while reminding that he couldn’t celebrate as he had another class within two hours.

With a base contract of just US$3,000 he knows it’s going to be an uphill battle to run out for the TKR first eleven, but he’s emphasised that he’s more than equipped to make his mark.

“Dreams turn into reality,” he smiled.