On Saturday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) hailed the former Indian cricketer who turned a cop as the “Real world hero” for doing his bit in the fight against the novel Coronavirus pandemic.
Indian bowler, Joginder Sharma who bowled the match-winning over in the T20I World Cup 2017’s finale against Pakistan is now serving as a DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) in the Haryana Police.
Sharma is currently involved in dealing with the global pandemic which has taken the lives of almost 34,000 people as of Monday morning.
ICC, lauding Sharma’s service said, “2007: T20 World Cup hero. 2020: Real world hero. In his post-cricket career as a policeman, India’s Joginder Sharma is among those doing their bit amid a global health crisis,”.
2007: #T20WorldCup hero ?
— ICC (@ICC) March 28, 2020
2020: Real world hero ?
In his post-cricket career as a policeman, India's Joginder Sharma is among those doing their bit amid a global health crisis.
[? Joginder Sharma] pic.twitter.com/2IAAyjX3Se
In the final match of the tournament, then Indian skipper MS Dhoni trusted Joginder Sharma with the final over where he took the final wicket on the 3rd ball of the last over of the tournament, steering India to victory.
36 year old Sharma played 4 One Day Internationals and 4 T20 Internationals of team India between 2004 and 2007 and after his retirement joined the police force.
Sharma talked to a leading news agency of India and discussed the various challenges police personnel face while “doing duty” especially at the unprecedented times like this.
Sharma said, “I have been a DSP since 2007. This is one of a kind challenge for me as a police officer because of the general fear and I can tell you that I have seen quite a few challenges in my years of service”.
Sharma, who is currently posted in Hisar, Haryana, is working to make people aware of the pandemic, helping those who are in need and also enforce the 21 day lockdown which will stay until the 14th of April.
Sharma added, “Our duty time starts around 6:00 AM and we do patrol, making people aware, send those who are out for fun to their homes, help those in need of essentials or medical aid and take action against those who try to defy without any good reason”.
“My family is in Rohtak, they are always worried for me. My wife and children call me all the time and talk about taking precautions. I salute my wife for managing the house at this time while I am here doing my duty”.
Sharma, who has been in Hisar since many years now said that being played for team India and had won a World Cup does help when counselling people, he said, “They respect me for my achievement and sometimes it helps my work when they see my nameplate”.
“When I tell people to not crowd markets for cheap deals, they adhere. I tell them how costly it would be if they catch this infection, that they should not risk a deadly disease for saving a few bucks”.
The reported cases of the Coronavirus pandemic in India has crossed 1000 mark and the deadly virus has claimed lives of 27 in the country as of Monday morning.
