The city of Hyderabad was awash with the glamour of cricketing royalty on the evening of January 25 as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rolled out the red carpet for its annual Naman Awards. Hosted in the heart of the city, the prestigious event welcomed a stellar gathering that included legends from various eras, fresh faces from age-group squads, and the stalwarts of domestic and international cricket. The felicitation ceremony, which had seen a hiatus of four years, became a grand celebration of the sport, recognizing the outstanding performances that have graced the cricketing landscape since the last awards.
The sense of anticipation and honor was tangible as past and present icons, men and women alike, graced the event. Even the England men’s team’s mentors, Brendon McCullum and Paul Collingwood, took time out from their preparations for the upcoming series to witness the glittering occasion. The ceremony commenced with the presentation of lifetime achievement awards to venerable names like Ravi Shastri and Farokh Engineer while Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma received the accolades of cricketer of the year. The event took special care to highlight the grassroot heroes of the sport, with honorees from domestic cricket, including Under-16 and Under-23 categories, and women’s tournaments receiving their due recognition.
Yet, amidst the flurry of awards and commendations, a particular highlight was etched in the memory of those present—a highlight that transcended boundaries of time and age and conveyed the unifying spirit of cricket. With the formal part of the evening concluded, it was time for an unexpected performance that stole the show.
Jemimah Rodrigues, the ODI cricketer of the year and a beacon of energy within the team, stepped onto the stage not with her bat but with a guitar in hand. Accompanying her was none other than the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, a stalwart whose name echoes through the annals of cricket history. Together, they created a heartwarming tableau, strumming chords and belting out lyrics to timeless Hindi classics such as ‘Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge’ and ‘Kya Hua Tera Wada.’ The performance evoked waves of applause and a chorus of clapping as the audience revelled in the fusion of cricket and music.
This magical duo turned back the hands of time, making the evening not just a commemoration of cricketing prowess, but also a celebration of cultural heritage and camaraderie. As the melodies filled the air, it became clear that this impromptu concert would be etched in the hearts of the attendees for a long time.
Jemimah Rodrigues expressed her astonishment and joy at such an opportunity. Sharing the stage with a figure as towering as Gavaskar was a dream-like moment for her. She took to social media to share her disbelief, gesturing homage to Gavaskar, and acknowledged that it was the icon’s own idea to unite in song. She wrote, “If someone had told me that one day I’d be singing with Sunil Gavaskar sir on stage I’d say no way! But IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. PS: It was Sunil sir’s idea to sing together on stage. What a legend.”
As the video of their duet spread like wildfire across the internet, it served as a reminder of the shared love and humanity that sports and the arts can inspire. It was a night where cricket was not just about runs and wickets, but about the joy and shared experiences it fosters, and how, sometimes, it takes a simple song to remind us of the beauty of the game.
