Srinagar
Mujtaba Rizvi from Hawal Srinagar city was the highest wicket taker in Jammu Kashmir Cricket Association affiliated tournaments in recent past played in different parts of Valley. This gifted leg spinner proved his mettle when he topped the wicket taking list in Ghani Super League, Burzahama Premier League and other tournaments.
The apathy is that despite outclassing other cricketers Mujtaba Rizvi was not selected by JKCA selectors, courtesy ‘favoritism and nepotism’.
“I deserved a place in Jammu and Kashmir team that currently plays Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra. To my utter shock, I was not selected despite giving my best. The irony is that some players were selected on the basis of their political background while two of the players were selected as they were in the good books of a known cricketer,” Rizvi told news agency CNS.
Rizvi has participated in almost all the tournaments and has represented State at national level under 16, 19, 23 and 25. “Even Indian famous cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi was impressed by my performance and he had even asked Selectors to encourage me. I did not know that selection is being done on the basis of approach and nepotism,” he said.
“If you any approach, your berth is sure. Talent doesn’t matter for selection committee,” he said.
“JKCA is responsible for killing of talent in Kashmir. There is a dire need to overhaul the whole system and bring accountability in the Association,” Rizvi said and challenged JKCA incumbent Selectors to contend his claim of performing best in every tournament.
One of the Selectors Zahoor Bhat while admitting that Rizvi has performed well said that at the moment he doesn’t deserve a place in the team.
When asked Rizvi has perfomed best in cricket tournaments like Ghani Super League and Burzahama Premier League and was even declared ‘Best Bowler’, the JKCA Selector Zahoor Bhat claimed that these tournaments have no value and hung up the phone.
