Saurabh Netravalkar, an Indian American cricketer, captured social media attention after leading the US to a notable victory over Pakistan in a T20 match held in Dallas on June 6, 2024.
During the Group A match, both teams ended their 20 overs with identical scores of 159 runs. The match proceeded to a Super Over, where Pakistan’s experienced left-arm bowler Mohammad Amir conceded 18 runs, including several wides and overthrows. In contrast, Netravalkar, born in India, kept his cool and restricted Pakistan to just 13 runs for one wicket. This win was especially significant as Pakistan had been runners-up in the 2022 T20 World Cup and champions in 2009.
Meet Saurabh Netravalkar
After the win, Saurabh Netravalkar’s LinkedIn profile became widely discussed. Besides his cricket career, Netravalkar is employed full-time at Oracle as a Principal Member of Technical Staff. He has an interesting background, having played for India’s U19 World Cup team in 2010, where they lost to a Pakistan team that included Babar Azam. Fast forward fourteen years, and Netravalkar once again dashed Pakistan’s hopes just before their crucial match against India on June 9. Originally from Mumbai, Netravalkar relocated to the United States in 2015.
Social Media Reactions
Social media erupted with reactions to Netravalkar’s impressive performance. One user humorously posted a now-deleted tweet showing Netravalkar’s Slack “Out of Office till June 17” status, suggesting he might need to extend it further if the US team continues to succeed. Comments highlighted the unique blend of his professional and athletic careers, with one saying, “Full-time coders and part-time cricketers beat Pakistan.” Others celebrated the merging of American and Indian aspirations, emphasizing Netravalkar’s dual achievements.
Here are some memorable reactions:
– “Full-time coders and part-time cricketers beat Pakistan.”
– “Living the American Dream + Indian Dream.”
– “Full-time cricketers are beaten by full-time engineers playing part-time cricket. Pakistan team needs to do a serious retrospect.”
– “I can already hear the proud Asian parent: Look beta, my son is BOTH a computer engineer and a cricketer.”
– “Sports & Education – Unbelievable. Never seen such a qualified talented athlete in recent years. Amazing & Hats off.”
– “Babar Azam lost to a part-time cricketer, full-time coder.”
