Meet the star who travels around the stars

By K.R. Nayar from Dubai

Adeformity should not be a  hindrance to realise a dream. This was proven by Prashanth Kumar, the scorer at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Although he  has only one hand, that did not stop him  from scoring all the T20 World Cup 2021  matches held at the Dubai International  Cricket Stadium. His right arm is not  more than one-foot long because of a  birth defect but nothing could stop him  from becoming a scorer for the  World Cup.

Three hat tricks were recorded on the  field in this edition of the T20 World  Cup. Kumar, who hails from a small village in Hyderabad, India, came to score  for this World Cup after recording a  hat-trick too, but as a scorer in the three  IPL tournaments held here. He joins  the many other characters who have  recorded milestones from outside the  field by serving the game.

“It was my dream to keep scores for a  World Cup and I am delighted that I have  achieved it. I have realized that with a  deep desire and strong will, any disability can be overcome and that dreams will  come true. I have now been the scorer  for all international matches held at the  Dubai International Cricket Stadium,  and this includes the Twenty20 World  Cup qualifiers, all Afghanistan and Pakistan matches, Asia Cup, and 2014, 2020, and 2021 Indian Premier League. This year has been special for me because I not only completed a hat-trick of scoring  for the IPL but also got the chance to score for the World Cup,” says Kumar, who occupies the corner seat at the  entrance to the press box.

“I am so happy that I could watch the  World Cup from the best seat in the stadium. I score with my left hand, something  that I have been doing for years even for  domestic cricket matches,” remarked  Kumar, who works as the Assistant Division Manager for the scaffolding division of the Yogi Group of companies.

Kumar is thankful to Shiva Pagarani,  the Convenor of the Dubai Cricket  Council and the owner of Yogi Group, for  backing his dreams.

“I’ve been in the UAE since 2015 and  started my career by scoring for Yogi  Groups’ domestic matches. Never did I  think that one day I would go on to score  for a World Cup as well!. I am fortunate  to have a cricket-loving boss and he  grants me off from my duty to do the  scoring. Except for the doubleheader match days, since most matches start only at 6 pm, I don’t take a full day off.”  Very early he realised that whatever he  wanted to achieve in his life, he would  need to do that with his left hand. He plays cricket with one hand bowling left-arm spin when the Yogi team practices before their matches. And once  they start playing, he would get on with  his scoring sheet. He developed good  handwriting.

“There is no limit to what one can  achieve provided one has the desire,  dream, and love towards whatever one  does,” he added.

Before plunging into the scoring sheet  to record the final between Australia  and New Zealand, he said: “I feel happy  that whatever cricketers perform with  both their hands, I record it with my one  hand. Whatever a scorer records, it is for  eternity. I will always be thankful to all  those who gave me this opportunity.”