Malayali 'touch' in Canada's T20 World Cup squad

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Canadian players participating in the Twenty20 World Cup cricket tournament are benefiting from a Malayali touch to help them keep out injuries. Joji Varghese, a native of Nalanchira, Thiruvananthapuram, the former head of the physical education department at Mar Baselios Engineering College, immigrated to Canada in 2018. After settling there, Joji passed a registered course in physiotherapy and massage. Slowly, Joji made moves to get into the domain he likes best —sports.

Joji first worked with the IPL-style league cricket teams in Canada. During this time, he gained experience providing service tp to International players like Moeen Ali, Shane Bond, Tim Southee, Mark Chapman, Rasie van der Dussen, and Dwayne Pretorius, who came to play for these teams. Joji joined the Canadian national cricket team in 2022. Joji feels lucky that a team with a majority of Indian origin got the opportunity to play in the World Cup. Everyone is thrilled to be playing on Indian soil. Canada’s first match was against South Africa in Ahmedabad on Monday. They will face the UAE in Delhi on Friday, New Zealand in Chennai on the 17th, and Afghanistan on the 19th at the same venue.

Joji served at Baselios Engineering College from 2006 to 2017. During his time as head of sports department, Baselios won back to back basketball titles and produced a team that went on to become unrivalled. This was the first time an engineering college had achieved this feat at the university level.

Joji's wife, Manju Thomas, is a nurse in Canada. Anna Elsa Joji, Joel Joji, and twins Antonio and Benedict are their children. Parents Varghese and Elizabeth live in Nalanchira.