Advertisement
Cricket Hong Kong
SportCricket

Hong Kong cricketer Rath on lasting England regret and overcoming India rejection

Anshuman Rath is back enjoying the game after sport took mental toll, and he’s even conquered his bowling yips

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Anshuman Rath lines up the Bahrain bowling during a one-day victory for Hong Kong in February this year. Photo: Dickson Lee
Paul McNamara

Anshuman Rath said he had “still not fully got over” the collapse of his English county cricket dream eight years ago, and considered walking away from the game entirely when his time in India turned sour.

Hong Kong will be happy he did not. The opening batsman has been a mainstay in the city side since his return, having rediscovered his joy in the game.

And it is a very different Rath to the one who expected to join Middlesex in 2017, only to fall foul of visa regulations after five years living in the UK.

Advertisement

Two years later he found himself in India, where after three years of ups and downs he returned to Hong Kong “overweight and ready to move on with life”.

“What could have been lingers in my mind,” Rath said. “It wasn’t meant to be, but when I see mates I grew up with playing county cricket, it hurts a bit.”

Anshuman Rath (right) makes his ground amid a run-out appeal from Uganda wicketkeeper Fred Achelam. Photo: Dickson Lee
Anshuman Rath (right) makes his ground amid a run-out appeal from Uganda wicketkeeper Fred Achelam. Photo: Dickson Lee

Born in Hong Kong to Indian parents, Rath said it was “kismet” that he left, aged 14, to board at Harrow School.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x