First-ever Pakistani Sikh cricketer at NCA idolises India's Sachin Tendulkar

Mahinder Pal Singh, who grew up at Nankana Sahib district in Punjab province, wants to play for the Pakistan cricket team in the future.

pakistan cricket, mahinder pal singh — Mahinder Pal SinghTwitter

A lesser-known name in the Pakistan cricket circles, Mahinder Pal Singh, is being touted as the next big thing in Pakistan cricket. Yes, he has already made history after becoming the first-ever Pakistani Sikh to get selected in the famed National Cricket Academy (NCA) of Pakistan, and the 20-year-old is also among the top 30 young cricket talents from the country, as per Geo News.

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Mahinder, who hails from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in north-western Pakistan, started out playing the game in the Gurudwara yard at Nankana Sahib district in Punjab province, the birthplace of Guru Nanak. He is not only a talented fast bowler, but also a student of Doctor of Pharmacy in Punjab University.

In an exclusive interaction with Pakistani newspaper Tribune, Mahinder has mentioned that besides idolising Pakistan's legendary bowlers like Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, he also looks up to Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

"We used to play in Gurdwara's yard. However, no problem was able to deflate my passion to wear the green shirt in international cricket and that helped me find the right path," said Mahinder of his struggles to the newspaper.

"My father was the only person who supported me and helped me reach this point. I want to highlight the name of my country, my family and my community. My community members often told me to go abroad and join some other country's cricket team but I used to reply that I will be a part of the 'green team' in the future," he added.

No Sikh player has ever played for the Pakistan cricket team.