How Ishant Sharma met his match Pratima Singh on basketball court

FIVE PAIRS of trained eyes follow every galloping step that the 6’4” attempts while dabbling in the basketball dribble. They giggle and politely say Ishant Sharma is “strictly OK” — “it’s always funny to watch other sportsmen play our sport”. The five sisters are perfectly qualified to pass judgment on anyone’s hoop skills given they’ve represented India at various times over the last ten years.

But even in that awkwardness typical to lanky lads, it is evident to the Singh household that the Indian pacer had done enough to woo the youngest of the five sisters, Pratima, one of India’s finest internationals — a gutsy shooting forward and adored team player.This courtship bloomed on the courtside of the basketball facility at DDA Sports Complex in Vasant Kunj, and was formalised into an engagement in Varanasi last weekend.