by Abhai Sawkar The past couple of years have been impactful for Associate cricket, especially with T20I status for all as well as various qualifier competitions to enter more high-profile events. Cricket in Denmark has been on a gradual rise and the team has taken part in various tournaments last year and the year before. While it’s been a tough road thus far, talent has been unearthed. Meet top-order batsman Taranjit Bharaj, better known as Monty Singh. Born in New Delhi, India, Singh’s journey to enter the international stage has been quite the roller coaster ride from very early on. And it was a strong start, too. “I started playing cricket when I was 7 years old. I was playing for West Delhi Cricket Academy, the same academy from where Virat Kohli was playing. I represented Delhi at Under age groups.” It wasn’t until his late teens when he decided that his cricketing future was elsewhere, but prior to that, he gained experience playing the game in various parts of the world. This experience would then set the tone for a tireless campaign to make a name for himself upon arriving at his new home. However, the playing conditions were quite different, relative to the other places where he played. “By the time i came to Denmark in 2012, I had already played in Australia, England, South Africa. I was 18 when I moved to Denmark. I played my first season which was 2013-2014. It was very different to what I was used to. Matches were only played on Astroturf, while I had played on turf all my life back in India.” Initially, the start of his cricket in Denmark was one to savor, especially with telling all-round contributions throughout the season. “I was playing for Svanholm CC in that season where I scored 500+ runs and took 38 wickets in 14 games. I was awarded with the Best Player of the season Award from the club. The level I found was nowhere near that of India but there were some great players playing in the league who earlier have represented English County teams so it was challenging.” At the same time, the progress wasn’t without its set of challenges. After all, the ability to deal with difficult situations is part and parcel of rising to the top level in anything. For Monty, it all began with the road to qualification, starting off with the residency requirement. “It was a completely different lifestyle, all of a sudden. I had to do everything on my own whereas back In India I would get everything prepared for me. It was very hard in the beginning, especially when it came to balancing college, work and cricket. It was a good challenge and I am happy that I didn’t let any difficulties come in the way of my cricket. I used to wake up at 5 in the morning to train for an hour before going to college, and then I had work straight after college. My routine was training from 5 to 6:30, college from 8 to 3 and then work from 4 to 11. I am happy that the hard work has paid off.” A disciplined work ethic was very instrumental for Monty’s gradual but determined ascent. Ever since he first stepped onto the scene for team Denmark, there’s been no looking back. “Yeah, the journey has been very up and down. I had to wait 4 years before I could represent Denmark National team because of the ICC rules and that was the frustrating part of this Journey. But those 4 years made me more hungry than ever and when I played my first game for Denmark in the USA against Bermuda, I scored 69 not out and got the Man of the Match award in my first game and we ended up winning the game as well. I couldn’t have asked for any better start to my professional career. I have been a regular part of the Danish national side since 2016 and at the moment I am averaging 43+ in 50 overs format. I believe I am at that stage of my life where I have a better understanding of my game and will be looking to score more heavily and consistently for the team.” In late 2018, Denmark visited Oman for the ICC WCL Division Three tournament, and Monty made a valiant 69 against the USA in a low-scoring affair. He brought his team close, but even though they lost, this knock has been a paragon for relentless fighting spirit and passion. It’s now a new year for Monty and for Danish cricket, but looking back at last year, it began quite pleasantly. At club level, there were plenty of moments to remember. The European Cricket League (ECL) is a great initiative for champion club teams all across Europe to compete against one another, similar to the Champions League T20 that spanned from 2009 to 2014. Qualification for this event was a landmark achievement for Monty and his team. “Our season started in mid April where the first 3 months were absolutely great. Our club won the T20 tournament where I was the leading run scorer for my team and got MOM in both semi finals and Finals. Winning the tournament meant that we are now going to play in European Champions League starting from May 31, 2020. It’s a very big tournament where all the games are telecasted in over 100 countries. Ex-international players like Shane Warne are watching you play in that tournament as well. So yeah, it’s huge.” 2019 was not without its low points - during the European Regional Qualifiers for the T20 World Cup for this year, it was a constant search for form in a tough outing overall. The margin for error was very small, especially since the top team would advance to the next stage. Denmark finished fourth, and Monty naturally was dismayed after how it went - 36 runs in 6 innings. But then again, the experience in itself has taught valuable lessons and there were more than just a few silver linings. Following the Qualifiers, Denmark hosted Finland for two T20Is, winning both games. “After the T20s we went to play ICC World Cup Europe Qualifiers in Guernsey where I had a shocking start to my career. Run-out in the first game, and I played onto the stumps in the second game… I was not getting anything going in my way apart from my contributions in the field. After returning home the 50 over stuff was also not working for me. I only managed to score three 50’s in the tournament whereas I had an average of 63 back in 2018. So it was a great year to start with but a very tough year to end with. I have learnt a lot from last year and it has only made me understand the game better.” Associate cricket has always been intriguing to follow, and Monty had the following to say about the development of cricket in Denmark in recent times, as well as plans for the rest of this year and the next. While at times things haven’t gone as planned, the optimism and positive outlook have always remained intact, especially the World Cup aspirations. 13 of the 14 teams in the recent World Cup Qualifier were Associate, and that just underlines the fact that in the Associate scene, the competition can be tight and there’s plenty to play for. Participation in the ECL will further bolster the popularity of the game in Denmark and from then on, the sky’s the limit. “At the moment, we have a very young side with little experience but great talent. Organization is doing everything possible to get us all what players need for development. We have professional fitness trainers, current coaches from the West Indies and Afghanistan are coming over to have some sessions with the team. I would say that it’s growing and this will be a good team, give it a few years. We are eyeing on a Global ICC tournament in this decade. My dream is no different than any other guy playing Associate cricket and that is that I would love to play a World Cup. I will continue to work hard on my game and will see where it leads me in future.” As far as the upcoming schedule is concerned, Denmark is in the ICC World Cup Challenge League, which began last year and will stretch to the end of next year. It’s a convoluted path to approaching the World Cup Qualifiers, but it’s time to take it game by game, and play some quality cricket. Denmark will be visiting Malaysia next month for a round-robin tournament against Canada, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, and Vanuatu. Stay tuned!
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September 2020
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