Simi Singh: The Irish Dream, a Life-Threatening Detour and the Journey Home

Simi Singh. (Photo by Donall Farmer/PA Images via Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Simranjit Singh, known as Simi Singh in Ireland and across world cricket, was already retired in his mind when acute liver failure halted his career in 2024. But on Wednesday, he officially closed the chapter, announcing his retirement and bringing down the curtain on a remarkable 20-year association with hotel management to move to Ireland in 2006 to find a second country to live in. cricket.During my two decades in Ireland, the highs were incredibly high, but the lows were devastating, too.“I’ve played international cricket, represented Ireland in the World Cup (T20), scored a century batting at No. 8 against South Africa in ODIs and also took five wickets. I recently found out that I have the best economy rate in ODIs (3.99), with Rashid Khan second. When I packed my bags and went to Ireland, I didn’t have anything special in mind as a teenager, I didn’t have cricket. TimesofIndia.com.“People at Cricket Ireland were not surprised because I was not considered for selection before. It was difficult to play professional cricket, especially when I am still recovering. So I thought it was better to wrap things up properly and make an official announcement so that everyone knows,” added Simi, who has played 35 ODIs and 53 T20Is for Ireland.In early 2024, Simi’s life was turned upside down after he contracted a mysterious fever. Doctors in Ireland were unable to find the underlying cause and his health began to deteriorate. He eventually moved to India to seek better medical opinions, only to discover that he had developed acute liver failure. His wife Agamdeep Kaur donated part of her liver to save his life.“My wife is my guardian angel. She was sent by God. She gave me a new life. It was a hot time for the family,” he said.“Now I have moved back to Mohali. Recovery is still going on. It is getting better but it is slow. I will survive,” he added.It’s never been so gross for Simi in Ireland. With strict residency rules, his ECB Level 2 coaching qualification and personal trainer certification helped him stay afloat before eventually making it to the national team. Now the coaching qualifications he had acquired all those years ago came to the fore. He opened his own cricket academy in Mohali, the city where he toiled during his formative years and successfully represented Punjab at the U-14 and U-17 levels.“I’m not running the academy myself at the moment. I’ve completed Level 2 with the England Cricket Board and I’m thinking about doing Level 3. Then we’ll see what opportunities come up,” he said.When Simi left India in 2006, he was frustrated that his cricket career had not taken off. Almost two decades later, the 39-year-old looks back on his journey with a sense of gratitude – or shukran, as he calls it in Punjabi.“I’m relaxed here. My parents are fine. My dad even came to the ground with me. It’s good to be back home. My parents were getting old. I don’t miss any festivals. Now all the headaches are over,” he said.For someone who left India as a teenager without cricket even figuring in his plans, Simi’s journey has come to an end. Ireland gave him a career he had stopped believing was possible. He then battled a life-threatening illness, but his wife gave him a second chance at life. Now that cricket is behind him as a player, Simi wants to build another chapter from Mohali, closer to home and with a renewed sense of gratitude.