1983. 2011. 2020? In 2020, age is no bar.
At 54, global superstar Shah Rukh Khan is set to release three films. Salman Khan, at 53, starred in the highest overseas grossing film of 2019 (Bharat).
While Akshay Kumar, at 52 years old, starred in the highest grossing domestic film (Mission Mangal), with three more releases planned for 2020.
And at the tender of age 53, Sports and Entertainment Guru, Shailendra Singh, is leading India’s national team in their mission to bring home the Over 50’s World Cup. It’s only happened twice before in Indian history, and the captain of the winning 1983 team has already given his blessings to the new captain.
Kapil Dev says, “I have known and played with Shailendra for many years and he is a highly competitive player. He dedicated his life to raising money for and representing the national team. There is no one better to lead and be at the forefront of this mission to bring home another World Cup for India.”
Shailendra leads a team of highly qualified players through the grueling World Cup series in Capetown, South Africa, March 10 – 24, 2020, against eleven other countries, whose teams feature some of the best over 50’s players in the world.
The World Cup final will be held in the Newlands Cricket Ground, which, overlooked by Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak, is considered to be one of the most beautiful grounds in the world. Just some of the outstanding players that the Indian side will face :
- Namibia’s Captain is Lennie Louw, who played ODI cricket for Namibia during the 2003 World Cup.
- England batsman Giles Ecclestone, who scored 681 in 7 matches last year.
- West Indies are led by 56-year-old former Guyana junior representative, and USA national team player Zamin Amin. The vice-captain will be world-record-holding batsman Ishwar Maraj.
- South African team is led by Jonty Rhodes (‘the greatest fielder of all time’) and coached by Alan Donald (‘white lightning’ and one of the national teams most successful bowlers).
- In summary, there are 23 former test cricketers, 71 first class cricketers and 3 world record holding wicket keepers.
India is competing for the first year and although they do not have the official support of the BCCI, they are supervised for support by the ICC. Keeping in mind that it took 30 years for the Indian’s Women’s Cricket Team to officially come under the wing of BCCI (first match against West Indies in Bangalore – 1976 | BCCI support in Nov, 2006), Shailendra is confident that with a solid showing at the World Cup, they will win the hearts of the entire nation. The Over 50’s World Cup is proof that cricket runs deep in the blood of all Indians and that age truly is no bar in representing our great nation.