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In a heartwarming prelude to the U19 World Cup in South Africa, rising Indian cricket sensation Arshin Kulkarni experienced an unforgettable encounter with his cricketing idol, Jacques Kallis. The 18-year-old prodigy, who has been making waves with his stellar performances in junior ODIs and tournaments, had the opportunity to meet the legendary all-rounder ahead of the tournament kick-off.
Star-struck moment: Arshin Kulkarni gets jersey signed and touches Jacques Kallis’ feet
During the unexpected meeting, Kulkarni not only secured a priceless autograph on his jersey from Kallis but also touched the cricketing maestro’s feet. The heartwarming gesture was captured on video which quickly became viral and attracted the attention among cricket enthusiasts.
Kallis blesses the young talent
Kallis, currently associated with the SA20 league and acting as the Assistant Coach for the Pretoria Capitals, was visibly moved by Kulkarni’s humility. The cricket legend bestowed his blessings upon the young star, showcasing the mutual respect between the generations of cricketers.
Also READ: U19 World Cup 2024 – Complete fixtures and Full squads of all 16 teams
Here is the video:
📲| Arshin Kulkarni via IG:⤵️
Dream come true moment for Arshin, meeting his childhood idol Jacques Kallis. 🌟❤️#Proteas | #TeamIndia | #LSG pic.twitter.com/gCP3y9D316
— SuperGiantsArmy™ — LSG FC (@LucknowIPLCover) January 16, 2024
Kulkarni’s tribute to his idol
In an emotional Instagram post, Kulkarni expressed his gratitude, referring to the encounter as “the best day of my life.” He conveyed a heartfelt message to the South African legend, whom he has admired as a perfect cricketer and a long-standing role model. Kulkarni’s post underscored the impact Kallis has had on his cricketing journey, culminating in this dream meeting.
“The best day of my life’. For the past 12 years you have been the person i looked upon as a perfect cricketer and as a role model, Today was the day when i finally met you every time my parents asked me about my favourite destination, I would say south africa in a hope that i would finally get to meet him i have always been your admirer and you have always been my inspiration ALWAYS AND FOREVER SIR,” wrote Kulkarni on Instagram.
IPL 2024 signing and U19 World Cup campaign
Notably, Kulkarni was recently signed by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction. He is now under the spotlight as one of the most popular budding cricketers. Speaking about the U19 World Cup, the defending champions, India, led by Uday Saharan, are gearing up for their World Cup campaign set to commence on January 20 against Bangladesh in Bloemfontein. India are placed in Group A alongside Bangladesh, Ireland, and the USA, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the Super Six stage.
