Will support Australia in match vs India: Spinner Tanveer's dad

Tanveer (left) with his father Joga

Sydney: Tanveer Sangha does not hesitate for a split second when asked who has been an influential figure in his cricket career. "My dad - 100%, there is no doubt about it", he says with enormous pride.

Sangha is Australia's trump card ahead of the blockbuster quarter-final clash with India on Tuesday. It will be the first time the leg-spinner, 18, with Punjabi heritage comes up against the men in blue.

For Tanveer's father, Joga Sangha, it is a monumental match. "There will be at least 15-20 people at our place and we will be glued to the television," he told mid-day. Joga hails from Rahimpur village, 20km from Jalandhar. He migrated to Australia in 1997 and is proud of his Indian Punjabi heritage. But come Tuesday, he will have no qualms about his loyalties.

"I will be supporting Australia. I'm an Australian citizen. This country has given me such a good life and of course Tanveer is representing Australia in cricket so that just tops it off".

Joga has played a pivotal role in Tanveer's meteoric rise, but he is quick to admit that he rarely followed cricket growing up in India or even after he had migrated to Australia. "I'm a sportsperson, but into kabaddi and volleyball," Joga said.

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