With Kings XI Punjab set to take on the Chennai Super Kings,in their first home match of this IPL season on Wednesday,the hosts will have another well-known supporter,apart from team owner Preity Zinta,rooting for them. Having proved his passion and enthusiasm for the sport during the India-Australia Test in Mohali last month,10-year-old Shabad Sandhu has now been roped in by the Punjab franchise to be their leading fan at all their home games in Mohali and Dharamsala. At a sparsely filled PCA stadium last month,Shabad was the face of the Mohali crowd even earning the monikers Chotta Bheem,Little Sardar and Champ. That hasnt gone unnoticed. I was really impressed watching Shabad jump up and down during the India and Australia Test match. He kept rooting for the Indian team in complete Punjabi style. He was full of life and energy. And our team advocates the belief Live Punjabi,Play Punjabi. His passion and energy will certainly lift the team and fan moral, said KXIP COO Colonel Arvinder Singh while explaining the rationale behind the decision to rope in the 10-year-old. Shabad will be stationed at the stands during the home matches and if KXIP make it to the final,he will travel to the venue with the team. Sharing his excitement and plans for the upcoming IPL matches,the student of Strawberry World School,told Chandigarh Newsline. I have been following IPL for the last few years. I have been to a lot of matches at the PCA Stadium in Mohali earlier. But this time,I will be a different spectator,I will be cheering the KXIP team with full energy and vigour. I plan to paint the KXIP symbol on my face and cheer the team with a flag and a whistle. The passionate cricket fan will,however,be in a predicament on April 21,when the Pune Warriors come visiting. Shabad idolises Yuvraj Singh and is in fact related to the cricketer on his mothers side. I started following the game with such craze only after Yuvi helped us win the World Cup. It will be difficult for me to choose between him and KXIP. I guess I will still be rooting for KXIP but maybe with less intensity, chuckled the 10-year-old.
