If your name is Nitish Kumar, chances are you going to play an important role in whatever profession you opt for. Just days after political leader Nitish Kumar emerged as a decisive factor in the formation of the central government in India (after Lok Sabha election), his namesake, playing for the USA cricket team in the T20 World Cup 2024, delivered an important contribution in the victory against Pakistan. Seeing the stocks of ‘Nitish Kumars’ rise, the world of social media couldn’t help but draw parallels between the cricket and political worlds at present.
Playing for the USA in the team’s second T20 World Cup 2024 Group A match against Pakistan, Nitish Kumar scored a crucial 14-ball 14, remaining unbeaten as the scores of both teams were tied (159 each) in 40 overs of play in the match.
It was important for Nitish, and his partner Aaron Jones to keep their nerves calm in the tricky run-chase and they did just what was required. Later, the Mumbai-born USA pacer Saurabh Netravalkar won his team the match in the Super Over with an exceptional bowling performance.
Nitish played and important role in rewarding his team, USA, a historic T20 World Cup win. The other Nitish, in the political spectrum, is seemingly playing a similar role in India’s government formation.
Who Is USA’s Nitish Kumar?
Born in Scarborough, Ontario in 1994, Nitish Kumar hasn’t only played cricket for the USA on the international circuit. His cricketing journey began while playing for Canada in various tournaments, including the Under 15s and the Under-19 World Cup qualifiers in 2010.
Nitish is also the youngest player to debut for Canada in a first-class match, playing against Kenya in 2009 and the second-youngest to feature in an ODI match. When Canada qualified for the ODI World Cup in 2011, Nitish made global history, becoming the youngest player to play in the history of the tournament. He was Canada’s top-scoring batter in the qualifying stage, aggregating 370 runs, including 2 tons. He also bagged 8 wickets in that tournament.
Nitish also did wonders for Canada, emerging as the second-highest run-scorer in the qualifying stage. In the qualifiers, he scored 57 runs in 44 balls against Papua New Guinea. He was part of the team in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers too.
At the age of 30, Nitish became the latest to appear in a T20 World Cup for two countries on June 1.
“There was Covid-19, [and] Toronto had one of the longest lockdowns in the world. There was nothing going on in terms of cricket,” Nitish told ESPNcricinfo ahead of the T20 World Cup. “And to be fair, I’ve always dreamt about playing cricket. And I’m someone that’s 100% in; I’m not going to do 50-50.”
Hence, he decided to shift to the USA. Aged 26 back then, Kumar only wanted to continue playing cricket and the United States gave him the opportunity to do so. “I don’t want to give up playing cricket. I don’t want to wait.”
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