STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: After Parvez Rasool, another young cricketing sensation from Jammu and Kashmir, Umar Nazir, who made his first-class debut in 2013, made a mark in the domestic cricket by becoming the highest wicket taker in qualifying round of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year.
Two other young cricketers from J and K, Shubham Khajuria and Manzoor Dar have also been included in the squad as stand-by players. Following his spectacular performance in the qualifying round of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Umar Nazir has alongwith Parvez Rasool now made it to the North Zone squad for Syed Mushtaq Ali T-20 tournament. The North Zone squad will be led by famous cricketer Harbhajan Singh. The states representing North Zone include besides J and K, Delhi, Himachal, Punjab, Haryana and Services.
The other members of the North Zone squad include Shikhar Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Mandeep Singh, Rishabh Pant, Unmukt Chand, AR Pachera, Rishi Dhawan, Mayank Dagar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Pradeep Sangwan, Mohit Sharma and Ashish Nehra.
The team was selected at a meeting of the North Zone Selection Committee held in New Delhi yesterday under the chairmanship of Nikhil Chopra. Selectors from North Zone associations – Ashender Kaul (JKCA), Rajesh Bawa (HCA), Ashok Thakur (HPCA), Wing Commander Deepak Ahluwalia (SSCB), Sarandeep Singh (Special Invitee) and Siddharath Sahib Singh (Convener) attended the meeting.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is a T-20 domestic cricket championship, organiSed by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), among the teams from Ranji Trophy. It is named after a famous Indian cricketer, Syed Mushtaq Ali. In a spectacular performance J and K won all the three qualifying matches against formidable Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Umar Nazir claimed 9 wickets in these matches.
The 2017 season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T-20 Trophy is being played in inter-zonal format wherein five zones including Central Zone, East Zone, West Zone, North Zone and South Zone will compete in a round-robin tournament.
The North Zone will take on South Zone in their first match of the Trophy on 12th February at CCI, Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Minister for Sports, Youth Services and Technical Education, Molvi Imran Raza Ansari and Secretary Spots Council, Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra felicitated Umar Nazir for his splendid performance making debut in North Zone team. They also lauded the performance of Shubham Khajuria and Manzoor Dar.
The minister in his congratulatory message to the team wished them success for qualifying for the knock-out stage.