A resident of the Glenwood suburb in Sydney’s west, Param Uppal has been making waves in junior cricket circuit in Australia.
In December 2017, he was named in Australia's squad for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
Param’s grandfather Harbhajan Singh Uppal is visiting down under to see him play at the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.
“This is one of the happiest moments of our life. It is fantastic to see Param wearing the national colors on the field,” said his father Devinder in an interview with SBS Punjabi.
The proud Sydney father will be in the Tauranga's Bay Oval on Saturday when Australia take on ‘mighty’ India in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Final.
Devinder who works at NSW transport applied for leaves six months ago, even before Param Uppal was selected in the team.
Devinder Singh Uppal (L) will cheer for Australian cricket team at the U19 World Cup Final today in NZ. Source: Supplied
"I have advised Param to play his natural game despite the pressure, says Devinder.
"Today's final is about mental toughness.....Hold the nerves to pick the world cup.
“Param’s mother Jaspreet had to go back to Sydney due to work commitments. She and my dad went just after the quarterfinals. But I am sure they will stick to TV wasting not a single moment of today’s title clash.
The Uppals moved to Australia from Punjab, India in 2003 when Param was only four years old.
Param’s father Devinder, a lawyer in the Punjab and Haryana High Court before shifting to Australia works in the NSW railways transport, while mother Jaspreet teaches at Muirfield High School.
“Four years ago, I told Param ‘get into the Australia Under-19 team and I'll get you a car’. In December, I registered a Mercedes Benz in Param's name, he says.
“Param loved his mother’s aloo paranthas (Indian naan stuffed with steamed potato). But things have changed ever since he joined cricket at a professional level. He is now very strict with diet and exercise schedules.
“We don’t want to take him easy on his studies. He will resume his commerce and law degree that he put on pause to prepare for the world cup.
Uppal, 19, has previously represented Australia Under 19s against Sri Lanka in April 2017. The top-order batsman and off-spin bowler spent the winter with the National Performance Squad, and is rookie-contracted by the NSW Blues and Sydney Thunder.
Uppal family is in New Zealand to watch Param's performance. Source: Supplied
As a classy right-handed batsman, he scored 370 runs at last year’s under-19 championships at an impressive average of over 60.
He was one of the three captains to lead Australia against Sri Lanka in the three-match series in Hobart early in 2017 where he also smashed 210 runs, including a century.
At the world cup, Uppal is playing under the captaincy of another Indian-origin player Jason Sangha.
Sangha is also the youngest batsman since Sachin Tendulkar to score a first-class ton against England.
