Jaspreet Singh’s journey in cricket began long before he represented Italy at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Born in Phagwara in the Indian state of Punjab, he moved with his family to Italy when he was just 10 years old. Even after relocating to Bergamo, he stayed connected to the game he loved as a boy.
The transition to a new country was far from simple: Jaspreet’s parents, Tirath Singh and Jasvir Kaur, started working as factory labourers in a foreign land, navigating unfamiliar language and culture. Despite these challenges, Jaspreet never lost sight of his early passion for cricket.
“It was a big day for my family when we got the chance to migrate to Italy. But we were a bit anxious too as it was a new country, new language and new culture. Everything was new for us. But I was thinking about how to play cricket which I used to do as a kid in my town,” he told the press.
Football and basketball were more common in Italy, and proper cricket setups were rare. To keep himself grounded and support his family, Jaspreet completed a two-year electrician course while enrolling at the local Bergamo Cricket Club – a modest facility by any standard. Nevertheless, he continued to train and improve his game, largely thanks to encouragement and guidance from Indian expatriates he met at a local gurudwara.
England: Turf Wickets and Uber Drives
With limited opportunities to play serious cricket in Italy, Jaspreet was advised by fellow players to look for better competition abroad. This advice ultimately led him to England, where turf wickets and highly competitive club leagues offered the environment he needed to grow as a fast-bowling all-rounder.
While in Birmingham, Jaspreet balanced his time on the cricket field with a practical means of supporting himself: driving for Uber. The flexible nature of the work enabled him to fund his living costs while playing in the Birmingham & District Premier League. “I used to play in India when I was a kid, and I wanted to do that when I went to Italy. But when I went to Italy, there was no cricket there, no real stadiums or grounds which I used to see in Punjab,” he explained. “When I came to know about it, I started playing after shifting to England because they had turf wickets, and had to find an alternative to meet the expenses, hence I took to driving Uber, which also gave me a lot of flexibility in time.”
Achieving the World Cup Dream
Jaspreet’s perseverance eventually paid off. In 2019, his hard work earned him a debut for the Italy national cricket team in a Twenty20 International against Norway. Since then, he has become a key part of Italy’s bowling attack. The Italian squad came agonisingly close to qualifying for the 2024 T20 World Cup, only to be edged out by Ireland.
But a year later, they topped the European qualifiers, securing their maiden appearance in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. “It is a matter of pride for us. We have been trying for a long time to qualify… We have not only come to participate in the World Cup, but we have also come to compete,” Jaspreet said, reflecting on the achievement.
For him, playing in India is more than just a career milestone — it’s a chance to reconnect with the sport’s heartland and experience iconic stadiums firsthand. “This is an amazing feeling for us… to come here and play in that environment,” he added, recalling the legends and grounds of Indian cricket that inspired him growing up.
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