Happy birthday, Yuvraj Singh! 10 facts to know about former Indian all-rounder

(Compiled by: Aaliya Farzeen Ashraf)

Birth and Number 12:

Born on December 12, 1981, at 12 noon in Chandigarh's 12th Sector, Yuvraj Singh chose jersey number 12 to reflect his birth date, considering it his lucky number

Skating to Cricket:

Yuvraj initially preferred skating to cricket, winning gold in the Under-14 Roller Skating Championship, before his father influenced him to take up cricket

Yorkshire County Stint:

In 2003, Yuvraj Singh became the second Indian, after Sachin Tendulkar, to play for Yorkshire in the English County circuit

Cancer Diagnosis:

In 2011, Yuvraj Singh was diagnosed with mediastinal seminoma, a rare lung cancer. After chemotherapy in Boston and Indianapolis, he returned to India in April 2012, fully recovered

YouWeCan:

YouWeCan, founded in 2012 by Yuvraj Singh and his mother Shabnam Singh, is a non-profit organization focused on cancer awareness, screening, treatment support, and empowering survivors in India

Arjuna Award:

Yuvraj Singh received India’s second highest sporting award, the Arjuna Award in 2012, after making his international comeback from cancer

Cricket Academy:

Yuvraj Singh’s cricket academy, Yuvraj Singh Centres of Excellence (YSCE), mentors young cricketers and nurtures talent

Acting:

In 1992, Yuvraj Singh acted as a child artist in two Punjabi movies, Putt Sardaran De and Mehndi Shagna Di

Voice for Jumbo:

Yuvraj Singh lent his voice to Jumbo, the elephant, in the Punjabi version of the Akshay Kumar-produced animated Bollywood movie Jumbo, with Akshay voicing the character in Hindi

Six Sixes:

On September 19, 2007, during the ICC T20 World Cup, Yuvraj Singh smashed six consecutive sixes off Stuart Broad, creating one of cricket’s most iconic and unforgettable moments