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India T20 World Cup winner Joginder Sharma tackles Covid-19 as police officer

World Cup Joginder
by Wisden Staff 2 minute read

Former India all-rounder Joginder Sharma, who famously bowled the last over in their 2007 T20 World Cup win, hasn’t been seen in India colours since, but is still serving the country in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Debuting for India in the same ODI as MS Dhoni in 2004, Joginder had a brief career of four one-dayers and as many T20Is, and did not play a single game after the T20 World Cup triumph. Now, in the second innings of his life, the 36-year-old is working hard as Deputy Superintendent of Police in Haryana in north India, manning the streets in the middle of a global crisis.

“I have been a DSP since 2007,” Joginder told PTI. “This is [a] one of a kind challenge for me as a police officer because of the general fear and I can tell you that I have seen quite a few challenges in my years of service.”

Working on his special shift entails patrolling and combing the streets during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, while also assisting with the safe passage of essential goods in the town of Hissar.

“Our duty time starts around 6am and we do patrolling, making people aware, send those who are out for fun to their homes, help those in need of essentials or medical aid and take action against those who try to defy without any good reason.”

A veteran of 77 first-class games, Joginder’s career was expected to take off after he claimed Misbah-ul-Haq’s wicket off the final ball of the inaugural T20 World Cup. It didn’t go to plan, though, and he retired in December 2018.

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