Ajaz Patel’s 10-wicket ball will have ‘pride of place’ in MCA museum

“What
he
(Ajaz
Patel)
achieved
at
the
Wankhede
stadium
was
something
completely
phenomenal.
And
the
fact
that
he
did
at
our
iconic
(Wankhede)
stadium
just
gives
us
another
memory
to
savour
from
his
historic
ground,”
Patil
told
PTI.

Earlier
this
month,
the
Mumbai-born
33-year-old
Ajaz,
a
left-arm
spinner
became
only
the
third
bowler
in
Test
history
to
return
a
10-for
in
an
innings
after
Jim
Laker
(1956)
and
Anil
Kumble
(1999)
and
that
too
in
the
city
of
his
birth.

“And
the
fact
that
he
traces
his
roots
back
to
Mumbai
made
it
extra
special
for
us.

“He
was
gracious,
once
the
feat
was
achieved,
he
generously
gave
us
the
cricket
ball,
by
which
he
took
those
10
wickets,
so
that
is
something
that
we
greatly
value
and
it
will
occupy
pride
of
place
in
our
MCA
museum,”
added
Patil.

Ajaz
Patel
bags
10
wickets
in
an
innings;
joins
Anil
Kumble,
Jim
Laker
in
historic
feat

Patil,
who
has
been
the
MCA
chief
since
October
2019,
also
stressed
that
the
upcoming
museum
would
inspire
the
youth.

“I
think
it
(the
museum
formation)
is
a
right
step,
because
we
(Mumbai
cricket)
had
such
a
great
legacy.
We
had
80
odd
internationals
and
almost
1/5th
of
the
international
runs
scored
by
India
have
been
scored
by
Mumbai
batsmen.
So,
our
history
goes
back
decades.

“So,
to
preserve
our
rich
heritage,
that
will
truly
inspire
our
present
as
well
as
the
future
cricketers.”

Mahendra
Singh
Dhoni
had
won
India
the
2011
ODI
World
Cup
by
hitting
a
six
at
the
Wankhede
stadium.

Asked
whether
the
seat
where
the
ball
landed
would
be
preserved,
Patil
quipped,
“Those
were
very
special
moments,
the
2011
World
Cup
of
course
was
such
a
special
moment
in
the
Indian
cricket
history,
the
fact
that
it
happened
at
the
Wankhede
stadium
is
etched
in
our
hearts.

“We
have
had
so
many
historical
moments
in
Mumbai
cricket
and
all
those
need
to
be
put
together.
The
museum
will
be
an
apt
place
to
record
these
historical
moments”.

Patil
is
also
upbeat
about
university
and
collegiate
sports,
which
needs
to
develop
and
progress
in
years
to
come.

Meanwhile,
the
DY
Patil
Sports
Stadium
in
Navi
Mumbai,
which
had
hosted
matches
of
the
U-17
FIFA
World
Cup
in
2017,
is
also
a
venue
for
the
upcoming
2022
AFC
and
Patil
sounded
upbeat
about
hosting
the
mega-event.

The
tournament
is
scheduled
to
be
held
from
January
20
to
February
6
in
Mumbai,
Navi
Mumbai
and
Pune.