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The most impactful T20I performer: Who is Virandeep Singh? | The Express Tribune
The Malaysian all-rounder became the first cricketer to score 3,000 runs and take 100 wickets in T20Is
KARACHI:
Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh, former captain and flamboyant all-rounder’s goal is to transcend beyond the label of associate cricketer and his specialty is delivering impactful performances.
He recently became the first all-rounder to score 3,000 runs and take 100 wickets in T20Is. He has the most Player of the Match awards under his belt in the shortest format of the game with 22.
“The reality is, as an associate cricketer, those records don’t carry the same weight in the eyes of the world,” he lamented. “Cricket is cricket, no matter the level, but the value attached to performances is much lower for us,” said Singh during an exclusive interview.
The 26-year-old is also the fifth-fastest batter to reach 3,000 T20I runs, achieving the milestone in just 98 innings.
The wicket-keeper made history by becoming the youngest player to represent his country at the international level, at just 15 years of age. He transitioned from a bowler to a hard-hitting batter.
Still, he remains in the shadows, struggling to gain the recognition he deserves.
Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Singh was introduced to cricket through his father, who had played the game in school.
Initially, more inclined toward football, he began playing cricket in primary school, following in his brother’s footsteps.
At just ten years old, he joined the Royal Selangor Club, getting his first taste of leather-ball cricket.
Although, he didn’t love the game at first, India’s triumph in the 2011 World Cup ignited his passion for cricket.
He dreamed of representing his own country on the world stage, from that point on.
Destined to play
His natural ability, hard work, and consistent performances set him on a remarkable journey and at 13, he was selected for the Malaysia U-16, at 14, he had made the Malaysia U-19 team, and at 15, he was selected for the senior team.
In age-group cricket, Singh delivered a series of impressive performances with both bat and ball, earning him a call-up to selection matches, which eventually landed him in the national team. The selection, however, came with a whirlwind of emotions and drama.
“Malaysia had a tour to Dubai for the ACC Premier Cup. I got called up for the selection games and scored a couple of fifties, which earned me a spot in the top 18 as a bowler. I was in the reserve four, not traveling with the team,” he recalled.
“Then, during training, one of my teammates twisted his ankle during a fitness drill, and I was told I’d be traveling with the team as his replacement. I was over the moon.”
But just as quickly, his excitement faded because another player was chosen in his place at the last moment.
Still, Singh refused to lose hope. Fate intervened again when one of the players was denied entry into the country, paving the way for his debut.
In his first outing, batting at number five, he scored 23 runs off 17 deliveries.
“I wasn’t really nervous,” he said. “It was easier because I was too young to think about the consequences. When you’re young, you’re fearless.”
Getting selected for the national team was just the beginning. In an age of fast-paced T20 cricket, Singh was a more traditional, steady batter, having played a few 20-over games at the junior level. He soon realized he needed to adapt to the demands of the modern game.
“My role back then was to bat for long periods and be the guy who finished games for the team. I played plenty of innings where I’d face over 100 balls and score barely 50 runs, which worked for the longer formats at that time,” he shared.
Malaysia’s status-change spelt new role for Singh
When Malaysia gained T20I status in 2019, everything changed. He knew scoring runs was not enough; creating impact was essential.
“Teams look for that quick-fire 40 off 20 balls, rather than run-a-ball 50,” he shared.
“This form of cricket didn’t come naturally to me. In the beginning, I struggled a lot. I even remember crying to my psychologist, saying,
‘I’m just not made for T20 cricket.’ I worked incredibly hard, spent hours with my coach, and even then, I wasn’t happy with my strike rate.
“I told myself that if I wanted to break into elite leagues and make a name for myself, I had to evolve and play a different brand of cricket.”
Singh’s evolution
Singh, a left-arm slow bowler, evolved his game and transformed himself into an explosive batter who could bowl handy overs at any stage of the game, the perfect recipe for a T20 all-rounder.
The Malaysian star admires Virat Kohli’s mental strength and AB de Villiers’ sheer skill, but his biggest inspiration is Australia’s power-hitter Tim David.
The Aussie, who previously played for Singapore, used the Pakistan Super League as a platform to catch the attention of Australia’s selectors.
“I really admire David because of the way he has transformed himself. I remember watching him play for Singapore early on, and now to see him evolve into such an explosive, in-demand batsman is incredible,” Singh said.
“There’s even a video of him absolutely smashing Malaysia in a game — he scored 90-odd in around 30 balls. I was the wicket-keeper that day, so I had the best seat in the house. Even though my bowlers were getting taken apart, I loved watching him bat. It was a special innings and a reminder of just how good he is.”
David’s story gives hope to Singh and many associate cricketers, though he acknowledges the vast difference in exposure and opportunity he got, having played his initial years of cricket in Australia. “I’d love to share a dressing room with him someday, there’s so much to learn from a player like David.”
Now, Singh has begun to gain international attention, earning contracts in global leagues such as GT20 Canada and the UAE’s ILT20, where he has shared the dressing room with stars like Marcus Stoinis, Sunil Narine, Mohammad Nabi, and Tim Southee.
But, he is not satisfied yet.
The Malaysian star wants his team to qualify for the coming editions of the T20 World Cup — a milestone he believes would transform cricket in Malaysia and put him and his teammates on the radar of top global leagues like the Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League, and Caribbean Premier League.
“On a personal level, I want to break into more franchise leagues and build a career that allows me to retire comfortably after cricket,” he stated.
He calls on financially strong individuals and corporations to support cricket and other sports in Malaysia to give a platform to talented younger athletes to showcase their skills and make a career out of it.
Singh’s career reflects the larger story of associate cricket — where extraordinary performances often unfold beyond mainstream attention.
As he and Malaysia strive for greater recognition, their journey raises a simple question for the cricketing world: how many more talents like him are waiting to be seen?
Play at the India Open badminton tournament was halted twice on Thursday after bird droppings were spotted on Court 1 during Indian HS Prannoy’s match against Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, Indian media reported.
The incident kept the spotlight on conditions at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium for a third straight day and added to questions over the venue’s preparedness for the World Championships in August.
Play was first stopped in the opening game when officials rushed in with tissues to clean the floor, and was halted again in the third after fresh droppings were spotted.
“I think it was bird poop,” Prannoy said after the match.
The disruption followed other incidents reported at the venue in recent days, including birds flying around on the practice courts and a monkey being seen in the stands.
While the Badminton Association of India (BAI) has defended the conditions and arrangements so far, Indian media said Thursday’s episode adds to a growing list of embarrassments for organisers and points of review for the Badminton World Federation (BWF), which is monitoring the venue.
Players have also raised concerns over the city’s pollution and weather conditions, with Loh adding to the issues flagged during the tournament.
Earlier this week, Danish player Blichfeldt raised concerns about what she described as “dirty and unhealthy” conditions, calling on the BWF to intervene, a significant allegation given the same venue will host the World Championships scheduled to be held in August, with India set to host the global showpiece for the first time in 16 years.
Last year’s India Open was held at the smaller KD Jadhav Arena before being moved this season to the larger Indira Gandhi Stadium, while training sessions continue to take place at the KD Jadhav Stadium located around 250-300 metres from the main arena.
Blichfeldt had reiterated her concerns this week, specifically referring to the warm-up halls, saying players were forced to wear multiple layers due to cold conditions and describing the environment as unfit for elite preparation.
She also raised health concerns after claiming to have seen birds inside the warm-up area, including instances of droppings on court surfaces.
“That’s clearly unhealthy and not normal,” she said, adding that falling sick or getting injured due to such conditions would be unfair to players.
While acknowledging organisers’ efforts, she maintained improvements were still needed and urged tournament authorities and the BWF to ensure professional standards are met.
Sports
State Department lists major sporting events in addition to World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump’s visa ban
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The Trump administration has revealed various “major sporting events” in addition to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in which athletes and coaches will be exempt from a broad visa ban on nearly 40 countries, allowing them to travel to the U.S. to compete.
In a cable sent Wednesday to all U.S. embassies and consulates, the State Department said athletes, coaches and support staff for the World Cup, the Olympics and events endorsed or run by a lengthy list of collegiate and professional sporting leagues and associations would be excluded from the full and partial travel bans subject to citizens of 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
But foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors who wish to attend the events would still be impacted by the ban unless they qualify for another exemption.
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The Trump administration has revealed the “major sporting events” in addition to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in which athletes and coaches will be exempt from a broad visa ban. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
“Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception,” the message said.
The federal government has issued several immigration and travel bans as well as other visa restrictions as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to curb immigration, although the administration still wants athletes, coaches and fans to be able to attend major sporting events in the U.S.
Trump’s proclamation last month banning the issuance of visas to the 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority had included an exception for athletes and staff competing in some sporting events such as the World Cup and the Olympics, and a decision on the other sporting events that would be covered would be made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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Foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors who wish to attend the events would still be impacted by the ban unless they qualify for another exemption. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
The events covered, according to the cable, include all competitions and qualifying events for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games and Parapan American Games; events hosted, sanctioned or recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions hosted or endorsed by FIFA or its confederations.
Official events and competitions hosted by the International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association as well as those hosted or endorsed by U.S. professional sports leagues such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, National Hockey League, Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship and All Elite Wrestling are also covered under the exemption.
Other events and leagues could be added to the list in the future, the cable said.
Other events and leagues could be added to the list in the future. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)
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Under the new visa restrictions, a full travel ban covers citizens of Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and individuals holding Palestinian Authority–issued passports.
A partial ban applies to citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Former Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros star outfielder Kyle Tucker has agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, per multiple reports.
Tucker’s $60 million average annual value would be the second-highest in baseball history, not factoring discounting, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
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Kyle Tucker #30 of the Houston Astros runs to third base during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 28, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the majors. But the outfielder has played in just 214 regular-season games over the past two years.
CUBS, ALEX BREGMAN AGREE TO 5-YEAR DEAL: REPORTS
Jeremy Pena #3, Kyle Tucker #30, and Alex Bregman #2 of the Houston Astros celebrate after Tucker hit a home run in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 28, 2022, in Houston, Texas. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
He batted .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.
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Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs swings the bat in the third inning during game five of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 11, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Brandon Sloter/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)
Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs. He sustained a small fracture in his right hand on an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also strained his left calf against Atlanta on Sept. 2.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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