Auqib Nabi’s rise reflects region’s potential; BCCI committed to helping cricket flourish across J&K, Ladakh
Srinagar| Oct, 03: BCCI president Mithun Manhas on Saturday said Jammu and Kashmir has immense cricketing talent that needs sustained nurturing and support, asserting that the Board is committed to helping the sport flourish across J&K and Ladakh.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Irani Cup in Srinagar, Manhas pointed to the rise of Baramulla-born pacer Auqib Nabi as an example of the talent emerging from the region.
“Auqib Nabi, who comes from Baramulla, has worked very hard to reach here. BCCI has given its full support to this association, and we have promised to give further support,” he said.
Manhas said the Board wants more players from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to emerge at the national level. “We want cricket to flourish in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and more and more players should come up,” he said.
Referring to the ongoing Irani Cup clash between J&K and Rest of India, Manhas said the closely fought contest reflected the improvement in the standard of J&K cricket.
“You can see the way the level of J&K cricket has gone up. There is a lot of talent here. It just needs to be nurtured, and it needs to be backed,” he said.
Manhas also spoke about India’s recent title triumph, praising the team’s ability to handle pressure situations. He said the victory was a moment of celebration for the country and credited both the openers and middle order for their contributions.
“The job of the openers is to build the game, while the middle order finishes it. So basically, the openers set the tone,” he said, praising Abhishek Sharma for setting up the innings and Tilak Varma for his performance.
He also lauded the bowling unit for coming together to defend a challenging total, saying the team’s overall performance had been outstanding.
Manhas credited former BCCI secretary Jay Shah with making a significant contribution to building the Indian team, including the women’s side, which he noted had also won the World Cup.
He also welcomed the growing global reach of cricket, including its increasing presence at the Asian Games, saying teams from different countries were becoming involved in the sport.
Asked about his message following India’s victory, Manhas said the achievement should be dedicated to the millions of fans who support the team and to soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the country.
On Auqib’s journey, Manhas said the Baramulla pacer had worked hard to reach the Indian team and reiterated BCCI’s commitment to supporting cricket in the region.
“We want cricket to flourish in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and we want more and more players to emerge,” he said.
The BCCI president said the ongoing Irani Cup, being hosted in Srinagar for the first time, offered another indication of the progress made by J&K cricketers and expressed hope that more talent from the region would emerge in the coming years.
