An excellent left-handed batsman .An outstanding left – arm slow blower. An extraordinary fielder. A cricketing all rounder. A game changer. That’s Yuvraj Singh. Born on 12th December 1981 in Chandigarh, Yuvraj is proudly nicknamed ‘Prince of Punjab’ and affectionately called ‘Yuvi’. Yuvraj came to the attention of the world when he was a part of the Under 19 Team that won the World Cup in 2000. He debuted in One Day International (ODI) at the age of 19 in 2000 ICC Champions Trophy and played his first test match in 2003. Yuvraj is one of the few players who have tasted the victory of all different forms of World Cup won by India – Under 19, T20 and 50 over World Cup. From playing cricket at Chandigarh’s Sector 16 stadium in his childhood to scripting records in international matches, Yuvraj has delivered numerous stunning performances that have earned him a permanent place in the hearts of cricket fans in India and those beyond the national boundaries. Playing against England in the 2007 World T20, Yuvraj scripted history with his bat by hitting six sixes in an over in international cricket! This astounding feat was performed for the first time in T20 Cricket and only three times previously in any form of senior cricket! Adding to his long list of achievements, Yuvraj delivered a host of thrilling performances right through the ICC World Cup 2011. He batted eight innings in the tournament took 15 wickets and scored 362 runs. Rounding off the tournament at the historic final match against Sri Lanka, the talented duo consisting of Team India’s captain cool (M.S.Dhoni) and Yuvraj Singh brought home the ICC World Cup after 28 years!
That’s not all. Yuvraj completed 3000 runs on Indian soil, becoming only the fifth batsman to do so. He won four Man of the Match awards – the most by a player in this World Cup. Yuvraj the foremost contributor to India’s tremendous World Cup victory helped India create a new world record of becoming the first nation to win a World Cup on home soil! For his stupendous all-round performance, he was proclaimed the Man of the Tournament. Lifting the trophy for his countrymen Yuvraj created a golden Indian moment but then came the tragic moments of his life when he was diagnosed with germ cell cancer. He had his treatment for cancer at IU Simon Cancer Centre at Indiana University Medical Centre in Indianapolis. He was treated there by Dr Lawrence H Einhorn. Yuvraj Singh has been out of cricket from last November. Yuvraj after recovering from cancer got trained at Bangalore Cricket Stadium. Now he has proved his fitness to the PCA (Punjab Cricket Association) and BCCI and is on the verge of his second debut in the T20 matches against New Zealand. He has been included in India’s ICC World 20-20 squad which started in September 2012 at Sri Lanka.
All eyes are set on him to get the cup back to India, once again as his performance in the matches seen in the past few days is marvellous and amazing. On behalf of all Indians I would like to wish him ALL THE BEST, as his return is a living example for all those who are suffering from cancer and is a message to the world that if you have a strong will power and desire to live no one can defeat you not even death. So let’s learn for our dear Yuvi to face all the problems in life bravely and come out with flying colours.