The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 is starting in a few days’ time with top stars gearing up for the mega contest. Over the years, the IPL is a big stage for the players to make their mark. It is also a big platform for those players who are out of favour from the national team to make a case for themselves. Khaleel Ahmed is one such player. The left-arm pacer was bought for a whopping Rs 5.25 crore amount at the UPL auction by delhi Capitals. However, the 25-year-old Ahmed, who has played 11 ODIs and 14 T20Is, has not played an international match since November, 2019. He would be eager to perform in the IPL 2023 to open the doors of the national team again.
Ahead of the mega-event, Khaleel, who hails from Tonk, Rajasthan, narrated an interesting story about his growing up years.
“I have three older sisters, and my father was a compounder in the Tonk district. So when daddy used to go to his job, I had to do things like going to buy groceries, milk, or vegetables. I used to go to play in between, which meant that household work would remain incomplete,” Khaleel Ahmed said in an interaction with Aakash Chopra on Jio Cinema.
“My mother would complain about it to my father, who would look at me and ask me where I was . I used to be on the ground. He used to be very angry because I didn’t study or do any work. He thrashed me with belt too, which would leave marks on my body. My sisters would treat those wounds at night.”
Khaleel further said that his dad wanted him to do well in life and did not stop him after he showed progress in sport.
“My father was a compounder, so he wanted me to become a doctor, or do something in that field. He just wanted to ensure that I don’t face any difficulties in the future. Once I progressed a bit in cricket, he started supporting me. He told me to play cricket and said his pension would take care of me if I failed to make a career out of it,” Khaleel said.
“The shift happened when I was selected to represent Rajasthan in U14. I picked up around 21 wickets in four matches and also got featured in the newspapers. I gave the allowances that I got to my family, which is when they got emotionally connected after seeing these things.”
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