Editor,
The article “Rock-Bottom: Meghalaya Cricket’s Crisis and a Hope for Redemption” by Patrick Kurbah (ST March 13, 2026) rightly exposes the alarming decline of cricket in Meghalaya since the state gained full recognition from the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2018. The statistics presented—particularly the men’s team losing nearly four out of every five matches and the women’s team struggling to register even a single win—are deeply troubling and reflect systemic issues that go beyond just player performance.
While administrative reforms, transparency, and merit-based selections are indeed critical, another important dimension that deserves attention is the lack of a strong competitive cricket culture within the state.
Historically, Indian cricket has thrived on a vibrant ecosystem of local tournaments played throughout the year. In many states, community-based tournaments using the traditional deuce ball format—such as Muslim League, Hindu League, or neighbourhood club competitions—have existed for decades. While these tournaments may begin with community affiliations, the competition eventually becomes open and intense, with players from different backgrounds competing regularly. This constant exposure to competitive cricket produces resilient players capable of performing at the national level.
Unfortunately, Meghalaya does not have such a widespread cricketing ecosystem. Due to climatic conditions, the state effectively has only seven to eight months of playable cricket each year, as heavy rains dominate the remaining months. Within this limited window, opportunities for open competitive cricket are extremely scarce.
At present, the Shillong Cricket League organised by the Shillong Cricket Association during the winter months remains the primary organised competition. Beyond this, only a handful of local tournaments are held, many of which are structured along restrictive community lines. For example, certain tournaments permit only one non-tribal player in a team, while others allow a limited number of non-tribal players but impose further restrictions—such as preventing them from being players from higher divisions. In some competitions, only tribal players are allowed to represent higher divisions.
While community tournaments are part of local sporting culture and should be respected, excessively restrictive participation rules inevitably limit the level of competition. When the player pool is artificially restricted, teams are unable to field the strongest possible combinations, and players lose the opportunity to compete against the best talent available.
Competitive sport thrives on merit, diversity of talent, and constant high-level competition. If young cricketers in Meghalaya rarely face strong opposition within the state, it becomes extremely difficult for them to suddenly compete against established teams from cricketing powerhouses such as Mumbai or Jharkhand in national tournaments like the Ranji Trophy or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Another major concern is the lack of “Open-to-All” deuce ball tournaments throughout the year. In many cricketing states, local clubs organise open tournaments where any player can participate irrespective of background. These competitions often attract talented players from different districts and divisions, raising the overall standard of play. Meghalaya urgently needs such tournaments to create a wider and more competitive talent pool.
If the state is serious about rebuilding its cricketing future, several steps are necessary:
First, encourage open inter-district and open-club tournaments where participation is based purely on ability.
Second, increase the number of competitive matches played within the limited dry months.
Third, ensure that promising players regularly face stronger opposition, even if it means inviting teams from neighbouring states.
Fourth, build a cricketing culture where players are constantly competing at higher standards rather than within restricted circles.
Administrative reform within the Meghalaya Cricket Association is undoubtedly necessary, but cricketing ecosystems are built from the grassroots upward. Without a robust competitive structure at the local level, even the most talented players will struggle to bridge the enormous gap between local cricket and national-level domestic tournaments.
Meghalaya has passionate cricketers and enthusiastic fans. What it lacks is a truly competitive cricketing environment that allows talent to flourish without artificial limitations.
Unless these structural issues are addressed alongside administrative reforms, the gap between Meghalaya and established domestic teams will unfortunately continue to widen.
Yours faithfully,
Peter Kharsyntiew,
Shillong – 4
Back to square one!
Editor,
The recent announcement by the State government to retain the status quo on the Job Reservation Policy has indubitably caused much heartburn among the unemployed tribal youth.This was affirmed by the MDA 2.0 led government on February 25th, 2026. This has by and large come as a wake up call to the people of the Hynñiewtrep clan at large, who have been keenly speculating for a refreshingly new Job Reservation Policy after more than fifty years of its framing. However,their hope has belied all expectations!
From the very start of the protest when Ardent Basawiamoit resorted to indefinite fast a few years ago in the vicinity of the Additional Secretariat for a fresh review of the extant job-reservation architecture l had the hunch that the then huge public support would end up nowhere given the fact that the Garo Committees would never, come what may,decrease their share of 40% Job Reservation nor would our Government allow the Hynñewtrep schedule tribes to hike their prevalent share of 40% attributed to them as laid down in the Meghalaya’s 1972 Job Reservation Policy. Basaiawmoit was, reportedly in favour of increasing the current Reservation for the Khasi-Jaintia communities from 40% to 47% without derailing the quota of 40% as assigned to Garo tribes, but the same was flatly rejected by the Government.
Hence the result of any further agitation on this premise may end up in a zero sum game! Right from the inception of Meghalaya in 1972 the quota of Job Reservation amongst the Garos vis-a-vis the Hynñiewtrep tribes had metaphorically become ‘ a die that is cast ‘ and there is no question of turning back, come hell or high water.
Readers may recall that in one of my letters appearing in these columns, entitled, ‘Lum Shyllong blunder'(ST May 12, 2022), l had squarely laid the liability on our then Hynñiewtrep elected MLAs/ social leaders for not leveraging even a semblance of dissension over the framework of this Reservation Policy when it was at its drafting stage, which would have telling ramifications on their incoming generations. Furthermore, l had expressively maintained that the said Reservation regimen has turned out to be a fault-line among the major tribes of our State, and the same will sustain as an abiding benchmark hereinafter. Hence, l had opined ,by citing cogent and practical rationales:that the only viable option could be the bifurcation of Meghalaya into Achik and Hynñiewtrep states respectively. Such a structural split could prove to be a boon for both the tribes in the long run as people from Garo Hills will not need to take arduous journey to the State’s Capital, Shillong for their mandatory-driven official/personal exigencies as they will have their State capital in Tura. Hence, it shall be a win-win situation for the Garo vis-a -vis the Hynñiewtrep people in particular and for all and sundry in general.
To put it in a nutshell,the sense of being separated from our Garo brethren with whom we have been closely knitted in association for more than half a century, the resultant effects could be heart- wrenching! Nevertheless, desperate necessities, need desperate demands.
Yours etc.,
Jerome K Diengdoh,
Shillong-2
