Who is Harmeet Singh? 5 things to know about Seattle Orcas' economical left-arm spinner
The Seattle Orcase have made a splendid start to the Major Leagues Cricket (MLC) 2023. They won their first encounter against the Washington Freedom by five wickets before beating the San Francisco Unicorns by a margin of 35 runs in their second game.
One of the reasons for the franchise's success has been Harmeet Singh's splendid form with the ball. In eight overs that Singh has bowled in the tournament, he has conceded just 39 runs at an exceptional economy rate of 4.87 and has picked up three wickets.
Harmeet Singh is a left-arm orthodox spinner and is an effective bowler, especially in the middle overs of a T20 game. In this write-up, we take a trip down memory lane and highlight a few facts about Harmeet Singh in the world of cricket:
#1 Part of the Rajasthan Royals squad in IPL 2013
Harmeet Singh has been a part of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) in the past. He played a solitary match for the Rajasthan Royals squad in 2013 against the now-defunct Pune Warriors franchise.
In the said game, Singh bowled four overs, conceded 34 runs, and picked up the wicket of the former Kiwi skipper, Ross Taylor.
During the said season of the IPL, a bookie approached Singh, which he failed to report. He was thereafter cleared by BCCI and the Delhi police. Unfortunately, he did not play another IPL game in the future.
#2 Harmeet Singh played two U-19 World Cups for India
Harmeet Singh was a part of not one but two U19 World Cups for Team India. He had an ordinary outing in the 2010 edition of the said tournament.
However, he was one of the unsung heroes for the Men in Blue in the 2012 U19 World Cup. The left-arm spinner picked up six wickets from four matches at an astounding economy rate of 3.02. India emerged victorious under the leadership of Unmukt Chand and Singh was one of the architects of the victory.
He is one of the few players who has the distinction of playing two Under 19 World Cups and tasting success in one of the said tournaments.
#3 Has played first-class cricket for Mumbai and Tripura
Harmeet Singh played just 31 first-class matches for Mumbai and Tripura between 2009 and 2020. In the said matches, he picked up 87 wickets at an average of 34.18.
He represented Mumbai in nine First Class matches across six seasons. After failing to get a consistent run in the Mumbai team, he shifted base to Tripura where he tasted success. He was the leading wicket-taker for Tripura in the 2018-2019 Vijay Hazare Trophy, picking up 13 wickets.
He quit Indian cricket in 2021 as he was not getting enough opportunities in India and moved to the United States of America to pursue his passion for playing cricket.
#4 Arrested for rash driving in 2017
Harmeet Singh had his fair share of controversies in India. In 2017, when he drove his car onto the platform of Andheri railway station platform No. 1, which caused panic among the commuters.
Singh was thereafter arrested for rash driving and subsequently released on bail. He maintained that he did not realize that the road had ended and that he was driving into a station.
#5 Received praise from Ian Chappell post the 2012 U-19 World Cup
Harmeet Singh impressed one and all with his spin in the 2012 U19 World Cup. He received massive praise from legendary Australian cricketer Ian Chappell post the said tournament. In a column for ESPNCricinfo, Chappell stated:
"He (Harmeet) bowls like Bishan Bedi, with that same natural flight and guile that would right now place him as the best spin bowler in any Test side bar England.”
“Harmeet has the skills to be a successful spinner, and only needs to develop the necessary temperament to handle the tough environment of international cricket and have a sympathetic captain," he added.
Despite tasting success at a young age, Singh failed to make a successful cricket career in India. Shifting base to the USA has given him more exposure to cricket and the 30-year-old left-arm spinner is making the most of his opportunities.