Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa made it clear that associate nations like his were not seeking sympathy from the cricketing world, but continued exposure through franchise leagues and stronger bilateral support, and argued that the gap with full-member teams was due to limited opportunities rather than a lack of talent.
Bajwa believes the rise of franchise cricket in Canada has been a huge boost for players who struggle with consistent match practice, especially during the long winter months. “I want to thank Yuvraj (Singh) for buying the Canadian Super 60 because that’s what we were missing. Last year we didn’t have the GT20 (Global T20 Canada).”
But thanks to Yuvraj and Abhishek Shah, they brought a cricket franchise to North America,” Bajwa said in a media video. It was the first time I had seen franchise cricket played indoors. Even if it’s snowing or raining, we still play cricket. “As a Canadian, I’m very proud to have an indoor stadium,” he added.
He drew parallels with the transformation witnessed by Indian cricket after the advent of the IPL, highlighting how sustained exposure and financial security through the franchise model increased the depth and standard of the national team. “When the IPL came to India, the franchises, the private sector came forward. Today you see how big the IPL is and how big Indian cricket has become. So, yes, our board and all the investors who are coming to Canada, this is their plan, because the board can’t do everything by itself. We need the private sector,” he said.
Indoor competitions provide continuity, but systematic support from a larger board, not just during the winter but throughout the calendar, will accelerate growth, Bajwa said. “Cricket Canada is doing well. The private sector is coming in and making good money. But there are some problems because of funding. Our board plans to keep the players as busy as possible and that’s what we need to do,” he said.
He stressed that the team was not lacking in ability and reiterated that continued exposure and competitive opportunities are needed for Associate Member States to reach their full potential on the world stage. “There’s not a huge difference (in talent). The only difference is we can’t play cricket. We have very good talent in Canada.” Canada’s World Cup buildup highlighted just those challenges. After qualifying for the T20 World Cup, the team endured a seven-month gap with no matches before embarking on a preparatory tour to Sri Lanka.
“There was a gap of seven months after we qualified for the World Cup. I didn’t play any T20Is. So I went to Sri Lanka on a pre-tour. I just came here (Delhi) from there for the World Cup,” Bajwa said. “The seven months of not playing cricket set us back a bit. The board did a very good job for the players, including sending us to Sri Lanka for a pre-tour. We prepared well with the Sri Lanka A development team.”
However, their lack of experience was clearly shown in the match against South Africa. “Their (SA) bowling combination is very good. And with the challenge they gave us, they took four or five wickets early on. But our bowlers did a good job towards the end,” he said. Canada lost to the Proteas in Ahmedabad by 57 runs. Bajwa said that interacting with senior Indian players during training in Delhi was a big motivation.
“Everyone should feel motivated after talking to the World Cup winner (Gautam Gambhir), who is the coach of the Indian team. If that team’s coach is motivating you, why aren’t your players motivated?” he said. “And when players like that come and talk to us, our boys can learn a lot. You don’t get to meet Indian players (in Canada), so if you can come and talk to them for the World Cup, you can hear their experiences (that motivates us).”