SHILLONG, April 10: In a first, the Meghalaya Cricket Association on Saturday held the first gala Awards Night to recognise the efforts and contributions of Meghalaya players while playing for various BCCI tournaments in the 2021-22 season.
The event, which was held at the State Convention Centre, was graced by former Indian Test captain & President of the Hyderabad Cricket Association Mohammad Azharuddin, senior MCA officials and other dignitaries.
There were seven individual award-winners – Manish Sharma (U-19 boys), Abhishek Kumar (U-25 men), Chirag Khurana (Senior Men), Ajima Sangma (Senior Women), Punit Singh Bisht (Senior Men), Kevin S Christopher (U-19 boys) and Purav Agarwal (U-19 boys).
DB Ravi Teja was also applauded for his services to Meghalaya cricket as a guest professional. Teja retired from the Indian domestic circuit last month following Meghalaya’s last Ranji Trophy match of the season against Gujarat. He had scored a century to mark an end to a prolific Ranji career.
The entire senior men’s team of Meghalaya was felicitated at the event in recognition for the stellar year the team had which saw Meghalaya qualify for the ‘Elite’ group in the Ranji Trophy.
Manish picked up three individual awards – for taking 37 wickets in the Cooch Behar and Vinoo Mankad Trophies, 10 wickets in a match and for taking four 5-wicket hauls.
Guest professional Khurana won two awards – one for scoring 685 runs, including five half-centuries and one century as well as taking 15 wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali, Vijay Hazare and Ranji Trophies, while the other was for the highest number of half-centuries, which he and fellow guest professional and captain of the senior men’s team Bisht both received.
Among the women, Ajima took 13 wickets during the Senior Women’s One Day Tournament.
Other youngsters who won on the night were Kevin (for the most number of centuries at three), Purav (four five-wicket hauls like Sharma) and Abhishek (taking 25 wickets in the U-25 Men’s tournaments).
In his keynote speech, Azharuddin congratulated the players on their accomplishments and encouraged them to aim higher while always striving to honour their state and the sport itself.
