Saad bin Zafar spent 20 years working a full-time job and playing unpaid cricket in the local league at night. The Brampton resident didn't have many opportunities to play professionally.
He started playing for the Canadian national team in 2015, a year after the team lost eligibility for One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and there were no contracted cricketers in the country, he said. To tell.
Things changed last year when the Canadian team won the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe and regained ODI status.
For the first time, Team Canada will compete in the Men's T20 World Cup, which will be held in cities across the United States and the West Indies from June 1 to 29. And Zafar is Canada's captain.
“It was my dream to play in the World Cup and it has finally come true,” Zafar said. “It's a privileged position to be a captain and a leader.”
He is one of 15 players on the team, five of whom are from Brampton, Canada's cricket capital. Canada will play the United States in its opening game on June 1st.
“What an honor for Canada. We're going to have our players play with some of the best players in the world. This is phenomenal,” said Mayor Patrick Brown.
Brampton invests in cricket stadium
Aaron Johnson, who also plays T20, knows what it's like to have passion and skill, but there are only a handful of full-sized cricket pitches to practice on.
Johnson, who has played professional cricket in Jamaica and England since the age of 15, moved to British Columbia in 2019 but says he was told there was no future in the sport.
“People told me, 'You're not going to be treated the way you were treated in England, because we don't have any money and it's just for fun,'” Johnson said.
He decided to move to the city after seeing the success of the Canadian Cricket League's Global T20 in Brampton last year. He will be the opening batsman for Canada at next month's international tournament.
“I don't think words can describe it,” Johnson said. “It's a dream come true.”
Aaron Johnson said he decided to move to Brampton last October to play cricket. He was Canada's opening batsman at the World Cup, which he says is a “dream come true.” (Photo provided by Pandaman/Takumi Images)
Brampton currently has 19 cricket pitches, with plans to open five new pitches this year. This is part of our plan to upgrade our cricket facilities through annual recreational spending to meet the growing demands of our local community.
City officials say the city is spending $8 million on park land, including one for youth.
“It starts with the kids,” Brown said. Brampton plans to begin its first youth league in July, according to a city news release.
Brown said the city plans to build a domed pitch at Ernst Cliff.
The city is also partnering with multiple private companies to build a city-owned stadium, which is estimated to cost at least $100 million, according to city documents. Brown said a state-of-the-art stadium could actually cost $200 million.
“There are many cities that have 150 baseball diamonds, many of which are unused, and no cricket facilities. This is not Canada in 1950,” he says.
He said in Brampton, people wanting to use cricket facilities face some of the longest wait times of all recreation programs in the city due to the sport's growing popularity.
exciting young people
Athletes like Zafar and Johnson take it upon themselves to inspire young people by volunteering to teach kids at summer training camps and schools.
“I know the sacrifices people have to endure. [play] Cricket on the side.I'm glad the next generation doesn't have to watch it. [do] That is,” Zafar said.
Johnson said he will continue to advocate for improved infrastructure and funding for cricket in Canada even after he retires from playing the sport.
“I want to help change this system,” Johnson said. “I'm very proud to be one of the few players who believes we can bring all the estates back to Canada. “It made such a huge difference in Canadian history.”
Cricket fans can see the T20 World Cup trophy during the Trophy Tour on May 11 at Ken Whillans Square in Brampton.