Upward swing in Punjab cricket: PCA Secretary

Punjab Under-16 team competing in the Vijay Merchant Trophy has also reached the knock out stage.

Mohali: With two Punjab boys Gurkeerat Singh Mann and Barinder Saran making it to the Indian ODI squad, PCA Secretary MP Pandove on Tuesday said the systematic approach to organised coaching has reaped rich dividends for state players and teams that are making their mark in ongoing tournaments.

Pandove stated with all humility that it is a rare feat for one state Cricket Association to achieve positive results in every age group of the National Tournaments.

The Punjab Under-16 team competing in the Vijay Merchant Trophy has reached the knock out stage, the Under-19 team in the Cooch Behar Trophy, the U-23 team in the Col. C.K. Nayudu
Trophy, the Senior Team in the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

He asserted that the organised camps, coaching at various district Head Quarters and fierce competitions during Inter District matches has made various teams into winning combinations.

"As a result of good performance the share of Punjab players in the National squad has gone up with selection of Anmolpreet Singh in the Under-19 World Cup squad and Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh in the T20 squad for Australia and Gurkeerat and Barinder in the ODI squad," he said.

Besides this Pandove showed entire satisfaction over the performance of U-16 team in which youngster southpaw Abhishek Sharma was a phenomenal success by accumulating 766 runs in
four matches including one double century, three centuries and two fifties and capturing 32 wickets.

Pandove was hopeful that the efforts of the association would see many more youngsters making it to the higher grade and the upward swing in Punjab Cricket will continue.

The upcoming stadium at Mullanpur and the intended cricketing facilities would further give boost to the cricketing activities of the state with three more playing fields being made available to the players in the first phase of the construction of the stadia.