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CAB to nurture talents out of Mayor’s Cup for future
While congratulating CAB for conducting such a refined tournament with school kids and expressing his desire to see more Bengal players in KKR, Mayor Janab Firhad Hakim stated that the talent search programme of BCCI was conceived and executed by former BCCI Chief Late Jagmohan Dalmiya bringing fresh talents to the fore.
Today is also the 82nd birthday of the legendary cricket statesman Late Jagmohan Dalmiya who changed the face of world cricket and transformed BCCI into the richest and most influential cricket body in the world and all with one singular focus and that was to make cricket a frontrunner and a truly global sport.
Talking about the tournament Mayor Firhad Hakim said, “For last two years to the children have been locked away because of the pandemic. So this year when I saw Avishek (Dalmiya) taking the initiative to get them back to the ground, I said we should stand by the schools. Cricket is a game of great uncertainty and you never know when you become a hero. But this tournament, this trophy is not enough, the boys should keep their goal as Indian team.
Taking about talent search who can forget our dear Jagu Da (Late Jagmohan Dalmiya) who initiated this programme when he was at the BCCI helm and this is responsible today for bringing out so many great cricketers. We fondly remember him on his birthday today and show our deepest respect towards him.”
“But I would like to add one thing here that we want more Bengal players in KKR. This will increase the emotional connect and we will relate to the team from the gallery in a much more deeper sense. And who knows what can happen if you play well in IPL,” he said while talking about Bengal’s representation in KKR.
Earlier speaking on the occasion, CAB President Avishek Dalmiya urged KKR to consider more Bengal in KKR. “We would love to see more Bengal players in KKR. I had raised the issue of reviving the catchment area concept in IPL in BCCI. We are giving utmost importance to this meet because we want more players to come through the ranks and sons of soil make up for the Bengal team. The Cricket Talent Search Committee will also look into these young talents.”
He took this opportunity to thank the KMC also, “We are extremely happy today that we have been able to complete the Mayor’s Cup glitch free with 32 teams even in the midst of this pandemic. This time the tournament’s age bar was increased to 18 as vaccination programme had not yet begun for U15s. But today we can safely say that all our players whether U18 or U15 have been inoculated.
Of course a big share of the credit goes to KMC who provided vaccines free of cost and always stood by us like a rock to make this meet a big success.
This tournament is not the end for these boys. Some of these boys will be called for trials and special coaching camps. Tournaments are also being thought of for these boys with neighbouring states so that they stay in the midst of cricket.”
He also thanked the KKR for their continued support, “We also thank KKR for coming in as sponsors for this tournament. We can hope to see junior knights from these players. The money given by them will be utilised for the development of budding cricketers.”
Debashis Kumar,MMIC Parks & Gardens, Sports, Advertisement, Parking & Hawker’s Rehabilitation Schemes, also echoed the same sentiment. “We want players from the catchment areas playing for respective states in IPL. Like in ISL an assured of Indian talents have to be played, likewise we must have something in IPL for the local cricketers,” he said.
St James School defeated Nava Nalanda High School by 8 wickets to win the Mayor’s Cup bring to a close a tournament featuring 32 school teams.
