At just 16 years old, junior Sahir Bhatia has already achieved a remarkable feat in the world of cricket. Sahir has recently qualified for the men’s East Zone cricket team and as the youngest member of the current fourteen-man squad, Sahir’s journey to this point has been marked by hard work, dedication, and a deep passion for the game.
During the upcoming spring break, Sahir is traveling to New Delhi, India to train. He will be training one on one at an elite academy. He hopes to improve and learn from his trainer to help better his career.
“I’m always trying to improve. I make sure to put in the time and effort in order for me to perform well. This helped me get to where I am today,” Bhatia said.
Sahir attributes his love for cricket to his father, who played the sport as a child and introduced him to the game at a young age.
“My dad played a lot of cricket with me and my brother when we were growing up and we both started playing at a young age,” Bhatia said.
Since then, Sahir has played for numerous teams, including Queens United Cricket Academy, New York U15s, U17s, and U19s, as well as the East Zone U15s, U17s, U19s. His progression through the ranks is a result of his skill and commitment to the sport.
The selection process for the East Zone men’s team was rigorous, with tryouts spanning over two months and involving hundreds of talented players. Sahir’s perseverance paid off as he made it through each round of cuts to secure a spot on the final roster. Sahir is currently the youngest member of the East Zone men’s team’s fourteen-player squad. Being the youngest player on the team has given Sahir extra motivation and helped further improve his skills.
“I learned a lot from being around older, more experienced professional cricket players who have played at the highest level,” junior Sahir Bhatia said.
By making the East Zone men’s team, Sahir was qualified to try out for the USA National team. The tryouts took place in Houston, Texas. Unfortunately, Sahir was unable to demonstrate his skill as the majority of the tournament rained out. Despite not being selected for the team, he has had impressive accomplishments throughout his cricket career.
The unwavering support of Sahir’s family, friends, coaches, and teammates have been instrumental in his success and will continue to fuel his aspirations moving forward. Sahir’s passion for cricket serves as inspiration to other young athletes striving to achieve their dreams.
“As someone who has known Sahir for many years, I could not be more proud of my good friend for doing something greater than the hand of cards our school has dealt us to play,” junior Alexander Tomalski said. “Regardless of whether he goes on to play for the USA Cricket National Team, his ability to become the youngest player in the East Zone team has demonstrated how great of a player he truly is. Sahir is going on to do bigger and better things as time goes on, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Sahir’s hard work is not going unnoticed by his peers and teachers, especially.
“It’s a sport that kind of goes under the radar in America and I am sure it’s going to blow up,” NHP Athletic Director Mr. Maguire said. “To have someone of that caliber is incredible. I wish Sahir the best of luck for his career and I’m very proud of him.”
