In a remarkable turn of events, Tanveer Sangha, with just a handful of List A matches under his belt, seized the spotlight in South Africa on Wednesday. The emerging leg-spinner marked his debut for Australia with a stellar performance, claiming four wickets and igniting talk of his inclusion in the Cricket World Cup squad.

Sangha’s contributions played a pivotal role in Australia’s commanding victory over the Proteas by a margin of 111 runs in their opening Twenty20 match held in Durban. Mitchell Marsh, celebrating his captaincy debut, anchored the innings with an unbeaten 92 off 49 balls.

The son of Indian immigrants, Tanveer Sangha’s progress had been keenly observed by Australia’s selectors since his impressive haul of 21 wickets for Sydney Thunder during the 2020/21 Big Bash League, when he was just 19. This performance earned him a place in the T20 squad for the 2021 New Zealand tour. However, Sangha’s international debut was delayed due to a back stress fracture that led to the sidelining of his 2022/23 season.

His moment finally arrived in Durban, and Sangha grasped it firmly. Despite having arrived in South Africa only a day prior, his calm demeanor and exceptional bowling skills did not go unnoticed. Mitchell Marsh praised the young spinner’s mindset, describing him as a “ripping young kid” who showcased unwavering composure.

Tanveer Sangha’s first international wicket was a result of Aiden Markram (7) cutting a delivery straight to backward point. Subsequently, he dismissed debutant Dewald Brevis (5) with a well-directed delivery to long-off, followed by wicketkeeper Tristan Stubbs (0) with a stumping on the very next ball. His impactful display concluded with the dismissal of Marco Jansen for 20, culminating in impressive figures of 4-31.

Sangha received accolades from his teammates as he left the field, having played a significant role in securing victory. Named in Australia’s preliminary squad for the 50-overs World Cup commencing in October, his inclusion among the final 15 may be a challenge given the competition with established spinners like Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar. However, his proficiency as a third spinner on India’s spin-friendly pitches could earn him a spot.