Jinnah Mondal was the net bowler for Pakistan cricket team at Cricket World Cup 2023© X (formerly Twitter)
Jinnah Mondal, a young fast bowler from Bibipur near Basirhat of West Bengal, is no stranger to bowling against international cricketers. The youngster was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) setup in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a net bowler and he even earned praise from Jacques Kallis during his stint. His talent resulted in second division club Central Calcutta Club signing him up for the domestic circuit but his big break came as a net bowler for Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup 2023. He impressed the Pakistan cricketers with his raw pace and even earned a jersey from the skipper Babar Azam.
Jinnah’s story is one of true grit and determination. Hailing from a poor family where his father works as a fisherman, the youngster was a regular in tennis ball cricket and it was during one of these tournaments when a cricket lover spotted his talent. Bengal cricketer Sourav Sarkar also agreed to train him.
He has played majority of his cricket at the Eden Gardens and it is his experience that made him a perfect choice for the Pakistan cricket team. The youngster bowled to all the cricketers of the side and even shared pictures of himself with all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed and bowling coach Morne Morkel.
This is only the beginning of the long journey for Jinnah who is playing regularly in the CAB (Cricket Association of Bengal) cricket league and in the past year, he was even called up as a net bowler for the state’s senior side. He has improved quite a bit in the recent past and will be looking to grab the next big opportunity that comes his way.
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