The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA), which is planning to build a robust ecosystem of cricket in the State, has laid foundation-stones for proposed Cricket Academies across the State.
The foundation-stones of Cricket Academies in Bhubaneswar, Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Baleswar, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Balangir, Sonepur, Sundargarh, and Nuapada were laid on virtual mode on Monday.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tusharkanti Behera laid the stones for the Cricket Academies. Principal Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Vishal Dev was present. OCA president Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, secretary Sanjay Behera and former secretary Asirbad Behera, among others, attended the ceremony. The Vision @2024 is an ambitious project of the OCA, said OCA president Mohanty, adding that it aims at providing turf wickets across the State to create equal and uniform opportunities to and enhance the performance of aspiring cricketers of the State. He said the OCA is planning to develop the ground along with two turf wickets for practice as these wickets are a prerequisite in modern-day cricket.
OCA secretary Behera said the OCA would develop such infrastructures in the remaining districts. He hoped this would help cricketers at the grassroots level get the top-notch facilities and advance coaching. Eminent cricket personalities, Debashis Mohanty, Sanjay Raul, Shiv Sundar Das, Pragyan Ojha and Wasim Jaffer shared their views and offered valuable suggestions on the occasion.
