Himachal Pradesh officials don't want to lose IPL final hero to any other state
One moment can change your life. Perhaps, the time has arrived for Manvinder Bisla. Many good things will be in the pipeline for the 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman after his heroic effort helped Kolkata Knight Riders stun two-time defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League’s fifth edition final on Sunday.
Stunning: KKR’s Manvinder Bisla smashed a 48-ball 89 against CSK in the IPL final on Sunday. Pic/AFP
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As far as domestic cricket is concerned, offers have already started to pour in for Bisla, who was not part of any first-class team in the last season. So impressed is Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) with Bisla’s 48-ball 89 that they want him to join their Ranji Trophy team for the 2012-13 domestic season.
Bisla, who started his career with Haryana in junior cricket, played as professional for Himachal Pradesh from 2003-04 to 2007-08. He rejoined them for 2010-11 season before being reportedly dropped from the team last season.
Offer
HPCA joint honorary secretary (sports) Prem Thakur said they would be happy to have Bisla for the next season. “Of course, we would want him to join the Himachal Pradesh team for the next season. It was lovely watching him do so well in the IPL final. He played his natural game,” Thakur told MiD DAY yesterday.
“But the final decision rests with our president Anurag Thakur,” he added. Bisla would have extracted more joy lifting the IPL trophy on Sunday than his 2009 triumph with Deccan Chargers. He surprised everyone with his explicit timing and confidence when KKR lost in-form skipper Gautam Gambhir early on in their mammoth chase of 191. Though Chennai had their plans spot on for key KKR players, they would have never imagined that Bisla’s onslaught would take the game away from them.
Coming into the final, Bisla had scored only 124 runs from six matches. “I am very happy that I played my part. I replaced Brendon (McCullum) who is a class player. His record speaks for itself. Due to L Balaji’s injury, we had to leave him out.
“I am lucky that I got a chance. Till the last ball, it did not feel like we had made it. I don’t think I have hit as well before,” Bisla said during the presentation ceremony.
Gambhir was effusive in his praise. “Bisla showed what character is all about. I have always maintained that a captain is as good as his team. When I selected Bisla, I knew that we had quality in our dressing room,” he said. u00a0
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