NEW DELHI: Simranjit Singh, known as Simi Singh in Ireland and across world cricket, had already retired in his mind when acute liver failure brought his career to a shuddering halt in 2024. But on Wednesday, he closed the chapter officially, announcing his retirement and bringing down the curtain on a remarkable 20-year association with Ireland, the country he moved to in 2006 to pursue hotel management, only to find a second life in cricket.Over his two decades in Ireland, the highs were incredibly high, but the lows were devastating as well.“I played international cricket, represented Ireland in the World Cup (T20), scored a century while batting at No. 8 against South Africa in ODIs and picked up a five-wicket haul as well. Recently, I came to know that I have the best economy rate in ODIs (3.99), with Rashid Khan second. When I packed my bags and left for Ireland as a teenager, playing cricket was not something I had in my mind. It was special,” Simi told TimesofIndia.com.“The people at Cricket Ireland were not surprised because, even before this, I was not being considered for selection. It had become difficult to play professional cricket, especially with my recovery still going on. So I thought it was better to properly close things and make an official announcement so that everyone knew,” added Simi, who played 35 ODIs and 53 T20Is for Ireland.In early 2024, Simi’s life was turned upside down after he developed a mysterious fever. Doctors in Ireland were unable to find the underlying cause and his health began to deteriorate. He eventually moved to India in search of better medical opinions, only to discover that he had developed acute liver failure. His wife, Agamdeep Kaur, donated part of her liver to save his life.“My wife is my guardian angel. She was God-sent. She gave me a new life. It was a torrid time for the family,” he said.“Now I have moved back to Mohali. Recovery is still going on. There is improvement, but it is slow. I will survive,” he added.It was never all hunky-dory for Simi in Ireland. With tough residency rules, his ECB Level 2 coaching qualification and certification as a personal trainer helped him stay afloat before he eventually broke into the national team. Now, the coaching qualification he earned all those years ago has come to the fore. He has opened his own cricket academy in Mohali, the city where he toiled during his formative years and represented Punjab successfully at the U-14 and U-17 levels.“For now, I am not running the academy myself. I have completed Level 2 with the England Cricket Board, and I am thinking of doing Level 3. Then we will see what opportunities come up,” he said.When Simi left India in 2006, he was frustrated that his cricketing career had failed to take off. Nearly two decades later, the 39-year-old looks back at his journey with a sense of gratitude — or shukrana, as he puts it in Punjabi.“I am relaxed here. My parents are fine. My dad even came to the ground with me. It is good to be back home. My parents were getting old. I am not missing any festivals. Now the coming and going and all that headache is over,” he said.For someone who left India as a teenager without cricket even figuring in his plans, Simi’s journey has come full circle. Ireland gave him a career he had stopped believing was possible. Then he fought a life-threatening illness but his wife gave him a second chance at life. Now, with cricket behind him as a player, Simi wants to build the next chapter from Mohali, closer to home and with a renewed sense of gratitude.
