Harjas Singh slammed a brilliant half-century to help Australia lift the U-19 World Cup title for the fourth time on Sunday. Harjas hit 55 off 64 balls in the final against India, laying the foundation of Australia’s 79-run win in Benoni, South Africa. Harjas, who mustered just 49 runs in his six previous outings prior to the final, delivered the goods when his team needed it the most. Chasing a target of 254, India were bowled out for 174, with Mahli Beardman and Raf MacMillan bagging three wickets each.
Who is Harjas Singh?
Harjas Singh was born on January 31, 2005 in Sydney, Australia to parents of Indian origin. His family had moved from Chandigarh to Sydney in 2000.
Harjas started playing cricket at the tender age of eight, featuring as a substitute player at the local Revesby Workers Cricket Club in New South Wales.
Harjas, who considers Usman Khawaja as his idol, was trained by Neil D’Costa, who has also coached the likes of Michael Clarke, Phil Hughes, Mitchell Starc and Marnus Labuschagne
“I still have family back in Chandigarh and Amritsar. We have a house in Sector 44-D, but the last time I was there was 2015. Thereafter, cricket took over and I never got the opportunity. My uncle still lives there,” Harjas told the Indian Express.
He is a student of Westfield Sports High School, Fairfield. He has sporting genes running throughout him. His father, Inderjit Singh, was a Punjab state boxing champion, while his mother Avinder Kaur was a long jumper.
“My parents sacrificed all their free time to ensure I got proper training. They work in the transport industry. They spent hours and a lot of their savings to help shape my career,” Harjas had told SBS Punjabi in 2023.
Harjas also revealed that he started as a right-hander, and why he had to switch his batting arm.
“As a young kid batting right-handed in the backyard, I was in danger of breaking the glass windows close by on the leg-side. So, I started batting left-handed to avoid that potential crisis. And I’ve stuck to it! I bowl right-arm medium pacers though, and throw right-handed,” he added.
Speaking on his journey, Harjas said that due to his Indian heritage, he had to work harder than others to stand out.
“If you look different from others, you have to do something different and much more to maintain that identity and your place in the field,” he had said.
