Cricket knows no bounds. Many people frequently quote this sentence because it is accurate.
Many cricketers originate from poor and small towns. Many of them serve as models for us.
These individuals have demonstrated that nothing is impossible. They have accomplished a great deal in their careers due to their unwavering dedication.
So, here’s a list of ten cricketers from small towns.
1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
MS Dhoni is the finest Indian captain of all time. He became the only skipper in the world to have won every ICC trophy. He was one of the top finishers in the history of the game.
MS Dhoni won a plethora of matches for India. But, despite all of his accomplishments, he fought many battles.
He is from Ranchi, a small town in Jharkhand (then Bihar). Ranchi was a developing city at the time.
He had to travel outside of his city to compete in cricket tournaments. Many young people from rural places look up to him as an inspiration.
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2. Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar, known as the Rawalpindi Express, is the fastest bowler this game has ever seen. He was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
He stated that when he was younger, he had to travel to many locations for bowling trials and practice. He even used a coach when he was younger, as he described in his autobiography.
He made his debut for Pakistan in 1997. He never looked back after that and went on to become one of Pakistan’s top bowlers.
3. Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina, one of India’s best middle-order batsmen, is from Muradnagar in Uttar Pradesh, where he spent many years. Suresh Raina decided to play cricket and relocated from his hometown to Lucknow around 2000. Then he was named captain of Uttar Pradesh’s under-16 team.
Raina made his international debut against Sri Lanka in 2005. After that, he only achieved success in international cricket. He was also instrumental in the 2011 World Cup.
4. Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh is an Indian left-handed middle-order batsman. He is from the small town of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.
Rinku had to work extremely hard because he was not financially secure. He had to deal with numerous challenges.
Rinku Singh was sold to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for Rs. 80 lakhs in 2018. But he shot to fame when he hit 5 winning sixes in the final over against the Gujarat Titans in the 2023 IPL.
Rinku then made his T20I debut against Ireland in August 2023. He still has a lot to learn and do for Indian cricket. But he is an encouragement to all young people.
5. David Warner
David Warner is a left-handed, aggressive batter from Australia. He was born in Paddington, an eastern Sydney suburb.
He was from a small town where he needed additional equipment. David Warner was named to the Australian national squad due to his talent and effort.
In fact, he became the first player in Australian cricket history to be chosen with no first-class experience.
6. Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle, the Universe Boss, is one of the most lethal batsmen this game has ever seen. He has 2 triple centuries in Tests, 1 double hundred in ODIs, and was the first player to achieve a century in T20 cricket.
Chris Gayle is from a small town in Jamaica. His childhood was spent picking rags.
At the age of 19, he played his debut match. After that, he became a bowler’s worst nightmare.
7. Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh was India’s right-arm offspinner. He is considered to be one of India’s top spinners. He has taken over 400 wickets in test cricket.
He was raised in a Sikh family. Harbhajan Singh is from Jalandhar, a small town in Punjab. After his father died, he became solely responsible for his family.
Harbhajan Singh earned a permanent spot with Team India after much struggle. Following that, he won many matches for India.
Also Read | The Ten Greatest Spin Bowlers of All Time in Cricket
8. Babar Azam
Pakistan’s former captain, Babar Azam, is among the top cricketers in limited-overs cricket. He became the quickest batsman in ODI history to reach 5,000 runs.
Azam is originally from a small town near Lahore. He used to be a ball boy in matches as a child.
Then, after years of commitment and hard work, Babar Azam made his international debut in 2015. Babar Azam is now one of Pakistan’s greatest batsmen.
9. Umran Malik
This youthful, exceptional talent is well-known for his rapid bowling at speeds of more than 150 kmph. Umran Malik was born in the Jammu neighbourhood of Gujjar Nagar in 1999.
Umran Malik made his IPL debut against Kolkata in 2021. Umran Malik left everyone in awe with his fast bowling. He then made his debut for India against Ireland in 2022. He has a lot more to play with and learn right now.
10. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Afridi is currently regarded as one of the world’s top bowlers. His left-arm motion and angle make the batsman’s job more difficult.
Shaheen has the ability to swing the ball in both directions. And he is also a competent death bowler.
Shaheen was born on April 6th, 2000. He comes from a tribal area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, which is a small town.
Shaheen made his international debut against the West Indies in 2018. And he is now Pakistan’s one of the most successful bowlers.
