CCA team commended for winning trophy in India

KARACHI: Anwar-ul-Haq, a former opening batsman, has lauded the services of the Customs Cricket Academy (CCA) whose team won the Rajiv Gandhi Under-15 Trophy in Chennai recently.

“The CCA, founded by Jalaluddin, the highest qualified coach of the country, has been doing a fabulous job over the years and the recent triumph of their Under-15 outfit in India is just another feather in their cap,” the former first-class cricketer remarked while talking to ‘The News’ here on Monday.

“The manner in which the CCA teenagers performed in India recently very clearly brought to light the virtues of modern coaching and training. They were able to outsmart their opponents because they possessed talent as well as the desired grooming,” Anwar said.

“It’s quite an accomplishment on part of the CCA Under-15 outfit to beat Tamil Nadu. After winning and losing a game in pool stage CCA remained undefeated in three knockout matches. It’s never easy to perform well in the alien conditions so the boys deserve praise,” he said.

“There were some brilliant individual performances like that of opener Saim Ayub, who clinched a couple of Man of the Match awards besides winning Man of the Tournament trophy,” Anwar pointed out.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should also lay greater emphasis on training and coaching in addition to running its academies. They should engage the trainers all over the country in a proactive manner to let them coach the talented youngsters,” he suggested.

Anwar said that Jalaluddin, a former Test fast bowler, on account of his accomplishments as founder head coach of the CCA, should be provided an opportunity to be a part of the coaching setup of the national team or the national academies.