Ngara Sports Club spinner Vraj Patel says making his national team debut in the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup Africa qualifier – Regional Final in Rwanda as a moment he will 'forever cherish'.
The impressive 23-year-old player was among the 14 players called up for the six-team event which is part of the qualification process for the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that bowls out on Wednesday in Kigali with Kenya taking on Uganda at the IPRC Cricket Ground.
Vraj received his first call-up in August during a tri-series tournament in Uganda and has quickly established himself as a regular within the team.
When the announcement of the squad for the qualifiers to play Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria broke, the excitement grew as Vraj was once again rewarded for his hard work in Uganda and in the NPCA Super League this season.
“I believe that this is a moment I'll forever cherish,” he said.
“Because it will be my first major assignment and you know they always say the first time will always remain in your mind. So it is something that I'll forever cherish in my mind.”
The hard-working bowler revealed that receiving his first national team cap ranks among some memorable moments in his career.
“This is a big moment for me,” he said. “Even when the NPCA season started, I told myself that I want to play in the national team, hence I worked hard and here I am. I won’t look back."
Vraj was the fourth-best bowler in the NPCA Super League with 32 wickets, 10 behind top wicket-taker Shem Ngoche who will also be in Rwanda.
The soft-spoken Vraj said he learnt a lot about international assignments during the Uganda Tour and is hopeful that the little experience he gained will play a key role in the qualifiers.
“Before the game, I anticipated a tough outing because international games are always tough,” he said.
“But what I noticed is that the experience I gained has made me more relaxed and confident. In some kind of way, it prepared me for these kinds of games.”
He said Ngoche has made it very easy for him to fit into his role and told him that going on the attack should be a 'bonus'.
“It was not difficult to adjust to what the team demanded. It was a tough match but the skipper called and said he was impressed by how I played and I must stick to my strengths,” he said.
