Youngest record breaker in Kanga

Mumbai:

Kanga league, the tournament with historic significance has seen several great names in Indian cricket grow from Mumbai maidans to international stage, and now a 10 year old cricketer Sarfaraz Nawaz, barely taller than the wickets has added his name to Kanga league record books by becoming the youngest cricketer to play in the tournament.

Amongst the thousands of young cricketers practising in Mumbai's maidans, this boy earned a special distinction when he batted one down for the Payyade cricket club in his Kanga league debut match.

His debut score was a forgettable duck but the experience will always be unforgettable for this young cricketer. Named after Pakistani swing bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz this fifth standard student prefers watching twenty20 cricket where bowlers are taken to the cleaners.

"I like watching Yuvaraj and Uthappa hit big shots," said Sarfaraz.

Sarfaraz's coach is his father Naushad Khan whose protege Iqbal Abdullah is representing Mumbai in the Irani Trophy encounter. Iqbal scored a half century on his debut and took three wickets.

Naushad wishes his son to follow Iqbal's footsteps and prove himself by performing with the bat.

"I want him to perform, I would be glad if people know me because of Sarfaraz," said Naushad

A gritty batsman, not afraid of bouncers he obviously has a long way to go before he can be considered for the big stage. But the chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar would perhaps be glad to know that Sarfaraz's favourite stroke is the cover drive.