The Masters East Central has put together a formidable team for the 2021 US National Masters. At the helm is the well-known and accomplished Rizwan Mohammed who served as USACA Board Member representing the South East Region, and president of the Florida South East Cricket League for many years where his region won national championships. Rizwan also plies his deceptive spin bowling featuring regularly as a top wicket taker in his league.
Rizwan’s other partner in crime in spin bowling is the most accomplished cricketer of his time Nasir Javed or ‘Charlie’ as he is widely known. Charlie’s most famous cricketing moment was his dismissal of the great Sir Vivian Richards and Gus Logie in the same over of a first class match in Pakistan against the mighty West Indies team of 80’s. He also represented Pakistan A when they toured Zimbabwe in 1987 under the captaincy of Zaheer Abbas. Charlie then moved to Australia where he played grade cricket in New South Wales in 1988/1989. He then moved to USA where he played in the Champions Trophy ODI game against Australia in 2004. Charlie has represented USA from 1998 to 2010 playing in 66 games including two world cup qualifying rounds in 2001 in Canada and 2005 in Ireland. He was also the USA Senior team head coach in 2015 for the T20 qualifying round in Ireland, after serving as the bowling and assistant coach with Robin Singh from 2012 to 2015.
Next on the team is Mahammad Qureshi known as ‘MAQ’ across the world. MAQ is the CEO of Cricket Council USA which has been conducting the US Open successfully from 2007 till now. MAQ is an all-rounder who is right hand batsman and medium pace bowler.
Then we have Dr Malik, an all-rounder who opens the bowling and batting for his club in Kentucky. His famous knocks include a double century, 160 NO against Inzamam’s team, and 123 NO in Dublin, Ireland. He regularly gets 5 wicket hauls with his swing bowling.
Tilak Mitra, a passionate cricketer, who opens the batting for his local team that has been part of many successful championship runs in south Florida league cricket. Tilakda, who is from the same state, Bengal, as well as a big fan, of Ganguly, played for his school, college, and university teams in India.
Amir Kiani, involved in organizing league cricket in Orlando, is another all rounder who can destroy any bowling with his attacking shots and huge sixes all around the ground. Amir is also quick swing bowler bottles up the scoring on one end.
On the batting side, openers like left-handed Anthony, who is used to walking halfway up the wicket to Carribean pacers, the resolute Tilak, and Srikanth are going give long and fast paced opening partnerships. The team is full of middle order batsmen all the way to the tip of the tail with centurion Raj, who has dozens of half centuries, Hemal, Matthew, Hammad, Sandeep, Rizwan, and Milroy forming the army of batsman causing headache to the fielding side one after the other. The right mix of aggression from Sandeep and Raj combined with the staying power of Hemal, Srikanth, Mathew, Hammad and Tilak are going to keep the scoreboard ticking and partnerships flourishing.
The Team has a stable of pacers who are going to be hard to handle with their controlled swing. Srikanth, Hemal, Sandeep, and Matthew are going to keep the batsmen dancing with ball movements while wicketkeeper Anthony will stand up to the wicket to the fastest of them all as if they are spinners and keep the batsmen from standing outside the crease. Add in the guile of Charlie (Nasir), Rizwan, Tilak and bowling prowess of Milroy, Raj, and the slowest of them all, Jay, and you will understand why Rizwan is smiling at the bowling weapons available to him. Not to forget fielding, wicket keeper Anthony, Mathew within 30 yard circle and Jay in the slips are going to convert half chances and send batsmen back to pavilion.
This East Central team is extremely well balanced and is expected to put up a strong fight for the trophy! Good luck to the team!!
