Usain Bolt knows all about life in the fast lane and has chosen T20 as his favorite format of cricket, a sport that is in his 'blood' thanks to his father's ardent following. It wasn't surprising.
Bolt, one of the greatest athletes of all time with eight Olympic gold medals, grew up in Jamaica and dreamed of becoming a fast bowler, but now he's an ambassador for next month's ICC T20 World Cup. , he was finally able to live a life of cricket. dream.
“I grew up with cricket. My father was a huge cricket fan and still is. It's always been in my blood. It's great to be a part of cricket again as an ambassador. I couldn't fulfill my dream of becoming a cricketer so it will be great to be an ambassador for the T20 World Cup,'' Bolt told PTI in a telephone interview from New York on Wednesday night.
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The 100m and 200m world record holder added time to his unparalleled career in 2017, and seven years later, his charisma remains unparalleled.
Some felt childlike excitement as they talked about cricket on the way to New York's makeshift cricket stadium. The stadium is one of three T20 World Cup venues in the continental United States and will host the June 9 match between India and Pakistan.
As he has spent the last few months traveling around the world, especially for music and football, he has not had time to watch live cricket on television, including the ongoing IPL.
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“I haven't been able to watch as much as I would like, but I try to catch up on T20 when I have time,” the 'Lightning Bolt' said.
Speed is what excites Bolt the most and it's no wonder he calls T20 the best format of the game.
“T20 for sure… it was a great idea when they started and it still is. You need to be strong and quick but also strategic, set the field and get things done quickly. So the game is compressed. For me, it's about combining the Test match and the day to create the perfect game.”
Bolt is not alone in being attracted to the shortest format in the Caribbean. The same goes for West Indies' elite cricketers. They are currently receiving more praise for their achievements in the T20 league than for their performances in West Indies colours.
Amid the T20 boom, Test cricket faces a serious threat in the region and Bolt agrees that the future belongs to the slam-bang format.
“I think T20s and one-dayers (ODIs) are still huge in the Caribbean. People don't enjoy Test cricket as much. It's all about the speed of the game, the big hitters like Andre Russell, so , for me that's the direction (the game is going in the Caribbean).
“This will allow more people to watch sports, because people love excitement. That's the key,” he said.
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The United States is hosting a global cricket event for the first time, and although the sport is currently played by residents of South Asia and the Caribbean, the local American community eventually became involved in the game. Mr. Bolt believes that the
“We are confident that this game can grow in the US as well. Once you have a presence in a country, people start to gravitate towards it and want to know more about it.”
I loved watching Akram and Kohli standout players.
Bolt may not have much time on his hands, but growing up in Jamaica, he often watched cricket with his father. The sight of Wasim Akram overwhelming batsmen with his in-swinging yorker is still fresh in my memory.
“For many years, one of my favorites growing up was Wasim Akram because he had an in-swinging yorker. Of course, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, who I admired over the years, They were all very dominant in that space.”
Did he like anyone in the Indian team?
“Like my father, I always root for West Indies (laughs). But yes, I was also a Sachin Tendulkar fan. “It was a great rivalry,” he said of the two legendary hitters.
Of the current lot, Bolt says, “Kohli definitely stands out.”
When asked if there are any cricketers who have even the slightest chance of becoming a sprinter, Bolt's showman comes up first.
“We're joking now. Me and Chris Gayle (both of whom are close friends) said he could beat me if he ran over 100 meters. We wanted to run the race and see what would happen. I think so (lol).
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“When it comes to speed, I am the best. I don't think any cricketer can challenge me right now (laughs),” said Bolt, who is looking forward to returning to India soon.
His last visit was in 2014.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from Syndicated News Agency Feed – PTI)
First published: May 16, 2024, 12:46 IST