Published: Jan 30, 2015, 02:55 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 30, 2015, 02:55 PM (IST)
It is rightly said that a sport can inspire people, can instil passion in the youth, enabling them to shine in life.
If you are a successful sportsperson, you are a hero in someone’s eyes, who looks up to you and dreams to achieve the same heights some day.
It’s the duty of a sportsperson to support and guide the youth to keep the passion alive. In a heart-touching initiative by Cricket South Africa, they helped a young fan live his dream and meet his favourite South African players and play the sport ahead of the World Cup.
Eleven years old Kieron Adams dreams came true when one fine day, he returned home to find his favourite cricketer Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn sitting in the living room, waiting for him. Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander are also with them but playing outside with the kids.
Kieron, who is an Under-11 captain of his school team aspires to be a cricketer when he grows up. In the video, he said he wants to go for Under-17 trials this year and revealed why he likes Amla the best. Kieron says, “Because of his humbleness, the way he bats and I want just bat like him one day.”
Amla, de Villiers and Steyn are seated inside Kieron home as he comes in. The look on the kids face when he met his heroes sums up the moment. They shake each other hands and hug before getting seated to have a little chat. Kieron answers to Amla that he is middle order batsman and an opening bowler in his team.
Steyn then pops in and says, “I watched your (Kieron) video and you have said, that our (South Africa) bowling was not good yeah.” Everyone laughs as the kids feels embarrassed, before Steyn says that he is just joking.
Steyn, then asks Kieron for advice as to what the bowlers can do to improve their bowling to which the kid responds, “Maybe you bowling bit wide or short, you are hit to the boundary but if you get your line back and up the pace, you can do well.” All the three applaud little Kieron for the great advice as du Plessis and Philander are playing cricket with kids outside.
When Amla asks Kieron to what he loves about cricket, the little guy once again impresses with his response.
“The way the sport brings people together and the passion when you are playing, it hypes you up and you wanna (want to) play the game.“
The South African skippers Amla (in Tests) and de Villiers (in One-Day Internationals) advice Kieron to keep the passion and love for the game alive as they go out to join du Plessis, Philander and other kids to play cricket.
Outside, Kieron get a ‘guard of honour’ from du Plessis, Philander and other kids. They divide the team with de Villiers picking up all the kids in his team and Kieron leading the team of Amla, du Plessis, Steyn and Philander.
It’s a lifetime opportunity for the kids as they play a good game of cricket with their heroes. Kieron sums up the meeting as, “The best day of my whole life.”
