Explosive Delhi opener doesn’t let age-fraud controversy affect him with match-winning knock in final
Manjot Kalra got India over the line in the final of the ICC U-19 World Cup with a brilliant unbeaten 101 in the final against Australia. But his career has not been as smooth a walk for Delhi's explosive left-handed opening batsman as his innings on Saturday.
Kalra has been in the thick of age-fraud controversies for over half a decade, and yet, it hasn't deterred him for excelling for the country at the U-19 level.
Kalra's contribution in Saturday's victory need to be applauded. Opening with his skipper Prithvi Shaw, the Delhi boy provided Indians a rollicking start.
It was that important 71-run partnership between the two openers that laid the foundation for India's one-sided victory even against a strong team like Australia.
Kalra, whose official age with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) now stands at 19 years and 19 days, stood firm even after the loss of his skipper to carry his bat in the final.
During the tricky run chase, Kalra played his natural striking game and took the attack to opposition. His 102-ball knock carried eight fours and three sixes and helped India chase modest 217 with as many as 67 balls to spare.
Having started the tournament with an 86-run knock against Australia, Kalra had a bad stretch of run thereafter, scoring just 18 runs in the next three games. After not getting a chance to bat against Zimbabwe in the last group tie, Kalra cracked a valuable 47 against Pakistan in the semifinals.
His ability to find gaps and play strokes under the immense pressure moments has stood out in the entire Indian batting line-up.
However, before taking the world sit up and take notice of his batting, Kalra has been facing the heat over his age certificates ever since he was the captain of Delhi's Under-14 team that played the zonal tournament in Lahli, Haryana, in 2013.
Legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi, who was the then chief coach of Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), raised a formal complaint with the BCCI along with the two different age certificates of Kalra.
The BCCI then asked then Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) to conduct an inquiry into the entire episode. DDCA failed to take any action in order to save its own skin.
But Kalra had to face more heat before his selection in the Indian U-19 team as he was asked to once again undergo age-verification tests by the DDCA, despite BCCI's clearance.
Former India all-rounder and Member of Parliament Kirti Azad passed on all the relevant documents of 24 Delhi cricketers including Kalra and his U-19 teammate and speedster Shivam Mavi for fudging the age to Delhi Police.
After a through inquiry, two FIRs were registered on the basis of Azad's complaint and proof appended there with. DNA has possession of both the FIRs (No 312/15 & 538/14) filed with IP Estate under Section 420/468/471/120B/34 of Indian Penal Code, 1860.
The matter is still been investigated by Delhi Police Kotwali's crime branch.
Kalra's place, though, was never under any kind of threat in the U-19 World Cup bound squad after he scored a fine century against England in an away Youth Test, with the left-hander smacking 122 off 117 balls in that outing.
In the final, he repeated his heroics, keeping all the controversies aside.
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 "Manjot Kalra-AFP")
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