Hyderabadi Ibrahim Khaleel makes it to USA squad for World Cricket League

Ibrahim Khaleel made the long trip to the other half of the globe four years ago. Little would have the Hyderabadi thought that he would continue to pursue cricket in the United States. The United States Of America, the country where the game of cricket has been slow to catch up, or you could say taking the little step.

The Hyderabadi could not have done much with it, as it was his decision to move to the States, after being away from his wife for several years. His wife, who is a doctor in the United States was delighted with his presence alongside her. It was a journey that was full of obstacles, with the absence of the game it was just more challenging.

Ibrahim was always a person who made use of all the opportunities that came his way. He made use of weekends to get ready for the local Cricket Tournaments while most of his friends would be partying at the other end of the spectrum.

“You couldn’t afford to miss out on any of the matches,” Ibrahim told Sportstar from Paris, where he is on vacation with his wife, ahead of their wedding anniversary.

Hard work finally paid off for the Hyderabadi wicketkeeper-batsman when he was named in the USA squad for the ICC Division Three League tournament, which begins in Uganda next month.

“That’s the best thing you can hear. I am happy to be back in business,” Ibrahim says after being selected in the 15-member squad for the tournament. “It’s a great feeling that Bhaiya has made it to the USA team. He always wanted to play cricket and we are glad that it happened,” Ibrahim’s brother Ismail said.

The 15-member squad also had room for Timil Patel, who very recently became a US citizen. However, on the contrary, there were some issues with the citizenship of the wicketkeeper-batsman. But things turned out bright after he got his US citizenship and passport on the 14th of April.

It wasn’t an issue for the selectors as they had earlier witnessed what damage the keeper batsman could do while he represented his state Hyderabad 57 times. In the 2011-12 season, Ibrahim created a world record in wicketkeeping for any first-class game with a tally of 14 victims in a Ranji Trophy Plate Group B match against Assam.

Chances from then did not come his way as the Mumbai Indians bought the Hyderabadi and made him warm the bench with the talents that were around in the squad. However, things have looked bright for him since then, albeit in a different colour.

Here is how the squad looks like:

Steven Taylor (capt.), Akeem Dodson, Alex Amsterdam, Camilus Alexander, Elmore Hutchinson, Fahad Babar, Jasdeep Singh, Mohammed Ahsan Ali Khan, Ibrahim Khaleel, Mrunal Patel, Nicholas Standford, Noshtush Kenjige, Timil Patel, Timroy Allen, Sagar Patel (travelling reserve).