Dhaliwal realizing his dream at home

Canada opens 90-over event with victory over Nepal

- NEIL DAVIDSON

Navneet Dhaliwal didn’t want to come to Canada when his family emigrated. He wanted to pursue his cricket dream back home in India, where he had played for his under-19 state side.

“I was very angry,” said Dhaliwal, who was 22 at the time. “I thought, ‘I’m never going to touch a (cricket) bat again.’”

While his parents won that argument, Dhaliwal found another way in his new country. He went on to represent Canada and is part of the team hosting Nepal and Oman this week in an ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 triangular one-day international (50-over) series in King City.

Canada opened with a commanding 103-run victory over Nepal on Monday, the first one-day international on home soil in 11 years. Dhaliwal was a steady contributor with an innings of 48 off 90 balls. Oman, which opens against Nepal on Wednesday, will be Canada’s next opponent on Friday.