STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Former cricketers of great repute Abdul Qayoom Bagaw and Meenu Singh Slathia have been appointed as the Cricketer Advisory Committee (CAC) Members with immediate effect by Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) for 2024-25 season.
While Qayoom has retained his place as the Member of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) as he held the post last season also, Meenu has replaced another former reputed Cricketer and Coach, Dr Roopali Singh Slathia.
Abdul Qayoom was unquestionably one of the most talented fast bowlers not J&K but also India has ever produced. He was unlucky not to find a place in the Indian squad because the era was reigned by the legendary fast bowlers like Kapil Devs and then Srinaths and likes. He has taken 152 wickets with 7/57 as his best in 48 matches, besides having the ability to bat lower-down the order. He had a big number of 5-wicket hauls in an innings and a good number of 10-wicket hauls in the match. Qayoom used to wobble the ball both ways and had mastery in hitting the right areas consistently. He has achieved sobriquet ‘Horse’ for bowling lot many overs at a stretch in Ranji Trophy more than once despite being a genuine fast bowler. He has the honour of playing for the Rest of India, Wills Trophy, representing North Zone in Duleep Trophy, Deodhar Trophy and Vizzy Trophy, besides representing MRF Pace Foundation Camp under the legendary Dennis Lillee. He has the distinction of captaining the Jammu Kashmir cricket team for seven years.
Under his captaincy and with his outstanding performance, I helped the J&K Team to qualify for the knock-out stage of Ranji Trophy during the year 2000-2001 for the first time in the history of the J&K Ranji Trophy. In the year 2013-2014 he was appointed Head Coach of the J&K Ranji Trophy team and in the same year our team qualified for the knock-out stage for the 2nd time.
Meenu Singh Slathia was simply an International stuff—an all-rounder to almost perfection. A top and middle-order batter and an off-spinner, Meenu has played for both Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab teams for more than a decade. Apart from being a successful captain, Meenu has the distinction of being part of the J&K team which had clinched the gold medal in the prestigious All India National School Games at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Meenu has played Inter-University twice and has been part of North Zone teams many a time. She has represented J&K around 120 times. 181 runs off 88 balls, studded with 37 boundaries, has been the highlight of her cricketing career. Meenu has been serving as Head Coach and Coach of JKCA women teams for the last three years. A die-hard cricketer, always a hard nut to crack. With her all-round brilliance, Meenu has contributed in a big number of wins for both J&K and Punjab at the national scene. Meenu was a member of the Coaching Staff of JKCA’s Senior Women’s One-Day Team that created history by qualifying for the knockout stage in BCCI’s Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy 2021-22 season.