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Cricket: Two Chandigarh lads make it to India U-19 team
Along with Harnoor, Chandigarh all-rounder Raj Angad Bawa has also made it to India A team for the Triangular series
It was natural for Harnoor Singh Pannu to pick up a bat than playing with toys while growing up.
His father, Birinder Singh, had represented Punjab U-19 team while his grandfather Rajinder Singh was involved with the game in Punjab; so the talk at home always revolved around cricket.
Harnoor toiled hard to chase his dream of donning the India colours and the dream has indeed come true. The Chandigarh lad scored the highest 412 runs, including three centuries, during the U-19 Challenger Trophy, and the result was his selection in the India A for the upcoming Triangular one-day series starting in Kolkata from November 28 involving two teams from India and one from Bangladesh.
“Since we did not have any tournament in the U-19 category due to the pandemic, it was great to get a domestic tournament this season and also the Challenger Trophy. My aim would be to make use of the chances and make a mark,” said Singh, an opener who idolises Shubman Gill and like his idol believes in playing aggressive strokes. He hammered scores of 22, 130, 137, 129 in the Challengers Trophy and also hit the maximum 54 fours during the tournament. He impressed the national selectors with his ability to score at a stunning strike-rate.
After the triangular series, the India U-19 team would be selected for Asia Cup in Dubai followed by U-19 World Cup in West Indies in February 2022. “I am focused on giving my best in the Triangular series and see how things go after that for future tournaments,” said the 18-year-old Harnoor, who is a student of PML SD School, Sector 32, Chandigarh.
Along with Harnoor, Chandigarh all-rounder Raj Angad Bawa has also made it to India A team for the Triangular series.
Playing for Team B, Raj Angad scored a total of 154 runs including a century (119) and eight wickets in three innings with the best bowling figures of 3/45. A lanky fast bowler and attacking left-handed batsman, Raj Angad is son of renowned cricket coach Sukhwinder Bawa and grandson of hockey Olympian Tarlochan Bawa, who was member of the team that won the Gold at London in 1948.
“My grandfather is an inspiration for me. And what I am today is because of my father. He has been a tremendous coach and a guide. Knowing that the U-19 World Cup is around the corner, I trained hard this season and gave my best while playing for Chandigarh in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy. And then the Challenger Trophy happened. It gave a right platform to showcase my all-rounder skills,” said Raj Angad, who is also a student of PML SD School, Sector 32, Chandigarh, and looks up to former cricketer Yuvraj Singh.
With this, they are the first cricketers from UT Cricket Association to make it to the India U-19 team since it came into being in 2019. Earlier, both played for Punjab at the U-16 level.
