Dr. Shujaat Ali Qadri
There are hundreds of Muslim cricketers in India who have not risen above the level of Ranji Trophy, and are forced to fade into oblivion despite scoring big in matches. UP batsman Rizwan Shamshad is remembered as one such player. He scored runs in Ranji but was never a part of the national team. Recently, Sarfaraz Khan, who scored the most runs in Ranji matches, is also claiming selection in the Indian team.
Vadodara cricketer Shahzad Pathan could have been one of the names in this team of unsuccessful players who had decided to retire from club cricket after not being able to make it to Ranji despite playing a great game . Troubled by family problems after his father’s death, he decided to give up cricket and take up an alternative profession to help the family. But his coach convinced him to follow his dream despite the odds.
Last week, he made his dream debut for Baroda in Ranji Trophy against a formidable Bengal team. He took five wickets in his debut match and became the second Baroda bowler to do so in three decades.
Talking to the media after the match, he said that it was unbelievable for me because a few days back I was thinking of quitting cricket and now I am being seen as a fast bowler. It sounds like a dream come true.
Talking about his problems and family background, Pathan said that he belongs to a middle class family. Things got very difficult after my father passed away in 2021 due to Covid. My elder brother tried to run the house but it was not enough. Due to this frustration, I decided to quit the sport and help my family.
He said that he is also disappointed that despite playing club cricket for so many years, he is not getting a chance to play first-class cricket.
However, Pathan’s coach convinced him to give the game one last shot as he is 27 and has many years of cricket left in him. He said that it was my good fortune that I was selected for the match against Bengal and I also bowled in the match as a bowler.
Pathan is originally from Mehsana and played cricket like every kid whose father loves the game. He developed himself as a medium pace bowler.
There were not enough cricket facilities in Mehsana, he moved to Vadodara for better opportunities. He started off with Under-19 cricket and then played with various clubs for almost nine years. And his bowling kept improving.
His coach in the Baroda team, Tushar Aruthe, said that Pathan is a hardworking and focused cricketer who is proving to be an asset for the team.
