India, Feb. 17 -- When Yuvraj Singh burst onto the international scene in 2000, he ignited the cricketing dreams of countless young fans. Among them was Baljit "Bally" Samra, a cricket-obsessed boy from Amritsar who idolised the flamboyant left-hander.

Though Baljit's playing ambitions faded and he moved to Canada in pursuit of business success, his passion for cricket never dimmed. When his son was born in 2006, he named him Yuvraj Samra as a tribute to his hero. And with a pledge to help his own Yuvraj realise a dream that had remained unfulfilled.

Two decades on, that promise found its moment under the Chennai sun. At just 19, the Canada opening batter etched his name in cricket history at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, becoming the you...