Off The Cuff

Gautam Gambhir’s shout-out for 19-year-old cricketer Mohammad Wasim

December 2, 2021
Bharat Times

EDPL cricketer Mohammad Wasim used to work as a newspaper boy.

Former cricketer and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday inaugurated the East Delhi Premier League (EDPL) at Yamuna Sports Complex in Delhi. The cricket tournament has been organized with the aim of nurturing raw talent, and one such talent is Mohammad Wasim. In a tweet shared this evening, Mr Gambhir praised the 19-year-old, saying he went from distributing newspapers to getting his picture printed in them.

According to Hindu, Mohammad Wasim surprised the selector when he appeared in the trials for the East Delhi Premier League. The 19-year-old managed to bowl at a speed of around 140 kmph – all wearing a pair of slippers.

Sharing four photos of the young cricketer, Gautam Gambhir wrote, ‘Mohammed Wasim used to distribute newspapers, now his photo will be printed in them.

Run by East Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir, the EDPL will have 10 teams named after 10 constituencies.

“I promised to bring modern sports infrastructure to East Delhi during my campaign and I am proud that we are able to deliver… it doesn’t matter your background or what gear you have, your talent What really matters. This is the league of the masses,” Mr. Gambhir said, adding that the tournament will provide a platform to those who could not showcase their talent due to lack of resources.

Mohammad Wasim divides his time between working as a paperboy and cricket. “I lost my parents at a young age, so I did some odd jobs to help my family. My brother also works, but still our financial condition is not good. I got selected for the tournament. Cricketing career will get a boost. The officials have also helped me by giving me cricket kit and shoes for my practice.”

Gautam Gambhir had earlier shared a similar tweet praising bowler Vijay Pal, who joined EDPL from Trilokpuri.

In EDPL, the winning team will be given a cash prize of Rs 30 lakh, while the runner-up will be given Rs 20 lakh.

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