TORONTO — Navneet Dhaliwal didn't want to come to Canada when his family emigrated. Dhaliwal 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 this week will be part of the Canadian team hosting Nepal and Oman in an ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 triangular one-day international (50-over) series that opens Monday in King City, Ont.
Dhaliwal credits Harjot Sidhu, with the Toronto-area Yorkshire Cricket Club, who inspired him to take up the game in one of the local leagues.
"And it just started from there," he said.
Dhaliwal, now 35, made his debut for Canada against the Netherlands in Namibia in January 2015 and went on to captain the side.
Dhaliwal was part of Canada's T20 World Cup roster this summer and opened the tournament in style, with a 61-run innings in Canada's seven-wicket loss to the co-host U.S. on June 1 in Grand Prairie, Texas.
The opener slammed six fours and three sixes in his 44-ball innings.
"An incredible experience," he said of the T20 World Cup.
The Canadians, now captained by Nicholas Kirton, had failed to qualify for the eight previous editions of the T20 World Cup, the 20-over tournament that expanded to 20 teams in 2024.
Canada has not taken part in the 50-over version of the World Cup since 2011, failing to qualify for the last three editions. The Canadian men also played in the 1979, 2003 and 2007 tournaments, exiting after the group stage in all four tournament appearances.
They are looking to get back to the showcase tournament in 2027, working their way up the qualifying ladder.
Canada, currently 19th in the International Cricket Council's one-day international rankings, goes into this week's one-day international series sitting third in the eight-team World League 2 table at 4-4-0. The 14h-ranked Dutch top the table at 6-2-0 with Scotland second at 4-2-0 with one no-result. No. 15 Namibia (4-4-0) is fourth, followed by the 18th-ranked U.S. (2-2-0), No. 17 Oman (1-2-0 with one no-result), No. 16 Nepal (1-3-0) and the 20th-ranked United Arab Emirates (0-3-0).
Canada won all four matches in its opening World League 2 tri-series in February-March, sweeping Scotland and the host Emirates. But the Canadians lost four in a row to the U.S. and host Netherlands in August.
The timing of the Dutch series was not ideal given the matches came on the heels of the GT20 Canada tournament in Brampton, Ont., leaving the Canadians having to deal with jet lag and the switch from the 50- to 20-over game.
Dhaliwal missed both the GT20 and Dutch one-day internationals after dislocating his shoulder diving for a ball while fielding in a club game a week before the GT20. He was supposed to play for the Surrey Jaguars, who lost to the Montreal Tigers in the Aug. 11 GT20 final.
"I was so looking forward to it after having a good World Cup," he said of the GT20.
Restored to health, he is raring to play a rare Canada series on home soil.
As for the upcoming games, Dhaliwal points to Nepal's fitness and fielding prowess and Oman's pace bowling attack.
"Both teams are world-class teams so we have to play our 'A' game to beat them both," he said.
The three teams will play a series of T20 games immediately after the World League matches.
Dhaliwal prefers the shorter 20-over version of the game, saying it allows him to better express himself as an opening batsman.
Dhaliwal, who is married with a 14-month-old son, was one of the Canadian players under contract to Cricket Canada and hopes to get a new deal when the governing body hands out the next set. Away from cricket, he helps runs the family gas station in north Toronto.
ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 Schedule
At Maple Leaf Cricket Ground, King City, Ont.
Sept. 16 — Canada vs. Nepal
Sept. 18 — Nepal vs. Oman
Sept. 20 — Canada vs. Oman
Sept. 22 — Canada vs. Nepal
Sept. 24 — Oman vs. Nepal
Sept. 26 — Canada vs. Oman
No-Frills T-20 Cup
At Maple Leaf Cricket Ground, King City, Ont.
Sept. 28 — Canada vs. Nepal
Sept. 29 — Oman vs. Nepal
Sept. 30 — Canada vs. Oman
Oct. 1 — Canada vs. Nepal
Oct. 2 — Nepal vs. Oman
Oct. 3 — Canada vs. Oman
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2024
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press