SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 8: Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) president Ajay Nath Shahdeo praised the cricket infrastructure in Dhanbad and assured the district association of full support to help local cricketers access the best facilities and progress in their careers.
Speaking as the chief guest at the annual felicitation function of the Dhanbad Cricket Association (DCA) held at Dhanbad Club auditorium on Sunday, Shahdeo highlighted that Dhanbad has the highest number of turf wickets among all districts in the state.
He lauded the DCA office bearers for steering cricket in the right direction and promised JSCA’s assistance in executing their development plans.
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Focus on National and International Excellence
“If cricketers from Dhanbad rise to the national or international level, it will be a great achievement. JSCA will provide full support to the district association to promote the game and achieve this goal,” Shahdeo said.
Former JSCA secretary Rajesh Verma, guest of honour at the event, also appreciated Dhanbad’s cricketing accomplishments, noting that the district has produced international players like Shahbaz Nadim and Anandita Kishore.
Verma recalled that during his tenure, Dhanbad successfully hosted several BCCI matches, crediting DCA president Manoj Kumar and secretary Binay Kumar for these achievements.
Mission 2028: Building a Cricket Hub
DCA president Manoj Kumar announced that as the association approaches its 50th anniversary in 2028, it has launched ‘Mission 2028’ aimed at ensuring players from Dhanbad secure spots in all age-group teams of Jharkhand.
He further revealed plans to establish a cricket academy in the district to develop a hub where players from other districts can train and benefit from advanced coaching facilities.
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Player Awards and Guests
During the event, several players were felicitated for their performances. Senior men’s player of the year award went to K. Qureshi, senior women’s player to Anandita Kishore, junior boys’ player to Sidharth Sinha, and junior girls’ player to Vristhi.
The function was attended by representatives from other districts, including Jamtara DCA secretary Yogesh Kumar Singh, Dumka DCA secretary Ajit Bhaskar, Ranchi’s Sunil Sahu, and Binay Bihari Karn.