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Punjab cricketers move to US with eye on national team
Leg-spinner Sarbajit Ladda and batsman Ravi Inder Mehra, both from Patiala, have been roped in by DC Hawks for the USA Cricket and ICC-backed inaugural Minor League Cricket starting from July 31
For cricketer Sarbajit Ladda, the last couple of days have been traumatic. He lost his father in Patiala and could not attend his last rites due to the ongoing travel ban. The leg-spinner was in the US playing in the WCL Premier Division cricket championship for Potomac Cricket and Sports Club.
Coping with the grief, a determined Ladda now wants to make his late father’s wish come true: to play for the USA.
Had the 34-year-old cricketer got ample chances from the Punjab Cricket Association, he would not have made the shift. Seeing another Punjab cricketer Sunny Sohal getting picked for the USA team a few years back motivated Ladda to chase greener pastures. Also, the fact that USA Cricket is growing and expanding tempted Ladda to make the move.
Ladda was selected in the DC Hawks team which will be featured in the USA Cricket and ICC-backed inaugural Minor League Cricket starting from July 31. A total of 27 teams will be competing in Minor League Cricket.
‘Eyeing a place in USA team’
“It is a great chance for me. I have been doing well in the various leagues in the USA since 2018. A cricketer who does well in the Minor League Cricket will draw attention for national team selection and further get a chance to make a strong case for selection in the Major League Cricket next year. I want to do well for the DC Hawks and leave a mark. I am eying a place in the USA team,” said Ladda, who has played for Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League.
He first went to the USA to play in the WCL Premier Division cricket championship for former Punjab U-19 team captain Rajit Passey, whose also from Patiala and owns Potomac Cricket and Sports Club. He did exceptionally well and bagged 23 wickets in 13 games, and the following year was much better with 27 wickets in 13 games.
“I was being ignored by the Patiala Cricket District Association along with the Punjab Cricket Association. Passey paaji was very encouraging and kind. And when I got to know that USA Cricket is going to expand and was inviting players from India, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies, I decided to make a move to the US,” added Ladda, who last played in the Ranji Trophy for Punjab in 2015.
A sharp leg-spinner, who has played 28 first-class (89 wickets), 13 List-A (17 wickets) and 13 T20 (10 wickets) matches for Punjab, and an employee of the State of Patiala, Ladda has bid adieu to India in pursuit of making it to the USA cricket team.
Another cricketer from Patiala, Ravi Inder Mehra, has also followed the same path and has been roped in by DC Hawks for the Minor League Cricket after doing well for Potomac Cricket and Sports Club for six years. A left-handed opening batsman, Mehra has played 45 first-class, 37 List-A and 28 T20 matches for Punjab.
“I started playing for Potomac Cricket and Sports Club in 2015. It was a great experience going to the US and exploring; cricket-wise, things were bad in Punjab. I would do well in the inter-district tournaments, but won’t be picked for the Punjab senior team. It was disappointing. Our club has been winning the WCL Premier Division cricket championship since 2016. With Minor League coming up, it will provide a great platform to players like me. Cricket is going big in the USA and players from various countries are coming here. Like Sunny Sohal, I, too, hope to play for the USA some day,” said 32-year-old Mehra, who last played for Punjab in 2017 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Tournament.
Passey, who co-owns DC Hawks and also Potomac Cricket and Sports Club, has invited several cricketers from India to a platform since 2013. He believes Minor League Cricket would be an ideal tournament for cricketers from various countries like India, Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa to get involved with USA cricket and to play at top-level.
