Chandigarh: In search of better opportunities, swashbuckling batter moves to PCA from UTCA
His shift from UT Cricket Association (UTCA) to PCA has been smooth and the 21-year-old left-handed batsman has been selected in the BLV Blasters team which will be competing in the second T20 Punjab league--Sher-e-Punjab--starting June 10
Cricketer Harnoor Singh Pannu is back to the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) with a bang, scoring double hundreds in U-23 one-day and T20 inter-district cricket tournament representing Jalandhar and hogging the limelight with his swagger at the opening slot.
His shift from UT Cricket Association (UTCA) to PCA has been smooth and the 21-year-old left-handed batsman has been selected in the BLV Blasters team which will be competing in the second T20 Punjab league--Sher-e-Punjab--starting June 10. Someone who was part of the Indian U-19 teams that won the Asia Cup as well the junior World Cup in 2022, Harnoor looks at this shift as timely and much required. But what led him to make this decision? “It was something I was looking forward to, especially after the success of inaugural Sher-e-Punjab last year. The way PCA provided a platform to its cricketers was just phenomenal. We saw so many cricketers doing well in the league and this also prepared the Punjab cricketers further. They were able to win their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. Moreover, there is no concept of off-season cricket at UTCA which was hampering my skill and preparation,” replied Harnoor, who made his Ranji Trophy debut for Chandigarh right after the U-19 World Cup triumph along with the other star Rajangad Bawa.
Somehow Harnoor could not cement his place in the senior Chandigarh team and the selectors doubted his potential as a senior team cricketer pushing him to the U-25 and U-23 teams in the domestic season.
“I was not getting enough chances and also there was a dip in my form too. But I worked hard over my form and decided to start the 2024-2025 on a positive note by moving to PCA which is a multidimensional state unit which has produced world-class cricketers over the years. Look at the new stadium PCA built in Mullanpur which earned praise from all corners,” added Harnoor who has played five Ranji Trophy and five Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy matches for Chandigarh and considers Indian cricketer Shubman Gill as his idol.
Harnoor comes from a cricketing family with his grandfather Rajinder Singh having played Ranji Trophy for Punjab and father Birinder Singh represented Punjab in the U-19. His uncle Bhupinder Singh Junior was player of the tournament in the inaugural U-19 Asia Cup held in Dhaka in 1989. “My family has backed my decision and I want to make the most of the chances I get in the season. Scoring lots of runs would be on my agenda and breaking into the Punjab senior teams on my mind,” said Pannu, who has played U-14 and U-16 cricket from Punjab before shifting to UTCA in 2019.
Sher-E-Punjab from June 10 to 27
PCA T20 league Sher-E-Punjab T20 Tournament season 2 will get underway at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium in Mohali from June 10 and end on June 27. As many as six teams will compete for the trophy. Legendary Punjabi singer, Gurdas Maan will perform at the opening ceremony on June 10 at 6:30pm. IPL players like Naman Dhir, Abhishek Sharma, Anmolpreet Singh and Nehal Wadhera will be seen in action during the tournament.
