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Bahrain-born cricketer David Mathias is no stranger to triumphing over challenges – a skill that is sure to come in handy as he embarks on two new adventures in his life.
The right-armed all-rounder joined the Bahrain national team earlier this year, after moving back to the country. He is also set to get married tomorrow to Kalyani Desai, in the biggest Indian wedding since Covid-19 put a halt to destination weddings in the kingdom.
“Having started to play cricket here at the Bahrain Rugby and Football Club (BRFC) when I was 11, it is great to be back – it seems like my career has come full circle,” Mathias told GulfWeekly.
Mathias grew up in Bahrain where his father Richard was the director of youth cricket for the Bahrain Cricket Association.
Mathias attended Sacred Heart School in Isa Town and went on to get his Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from St Joseph’s College in Bangalore.
At the onset of his career, he was also coached in the UAE by former Pakistan national team player Tauseef Ahmed and former UAE national team player Shahzad Altaf. At the age of 12, he represented Bahrain at the 2004 Asian Cricket Council Under-17 Cup in India.
“Bahrain has been on an upward curve for the last two decades, in terms of cricket prowess,” added the cricketer, who is also managing director at LifeGate Pharmaceuticals.
Mathias has represented Karnataka in Indian domestic cricket. He made his first-class debut on October 22, 2015 in the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy.
His journey has not been without its challenges, after he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) – a rare disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks your nerves – and had to basically start from zero after rehabilitating his body.
His playing strengths as a fast-bowling all-rounder also came to be a challenge, after he suffered a stress fracture in his vertebrae. He had four knee operations and was all set to be retired before he got the call from the Bahrain Cricket Federation.
His injuries didn’t hold him back for long as he ached to be back on the cricket pitch.
“My challenges have taught me the importance of resilience and how important it is to keep moving forward, while learning from the past and not getting stuck in it,” he explained.
In February 2022, Mathias was named in Bahrain’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier A tournament.
He made his T20I debut for Bahrain on February 18, against Germany.
“We have a great coaching team and a good bunch of boys,” he added.
“I have felt at ease with the team, and we fought hard in every match. We have a good variety of batting and bowling styles, with a great team culture.
“Going forward, stronger infrastructure, with turf grass, would help our team really grow.”
And, 20 years after he first started playing cricket at the BRFC, he is back on those grounds, now the cornerstone of a well-rounded team, that went on to beat favourites UAE in the T20 World Cup qualifiers in Oman.
Mathias put up 46 runs off 35 balls, knocking out two boundaries (each worth four runs) and three sixes.
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