Divyansh Joshi

Uttar Pradesh based Divyansh Joshi has become the first cricketer from the Northeast states to represent India in a World Cup.

As per reports, Joshi who had played for Mizoram in six Vinoo Mankad matches had been selected to play for the national cricket team for the upcoming U-19 World Cup in South Africa.

The 18-year-old represented Uttar Pradesh in the U-14 and U-16 levels but was not selected for the state’s U-19 cricket matches.

However, the cricketer did not give up and decided to try his luck outside his home state.

After he had performed well in the trials in Kolkata, Mizoram had decided to hire him in its state cricket team.

The All-India Junior Selection Committee had selected India’s 15-member squad  for the upcoming U-19 World Cup in South Africa.

The chairman of the selection committee Ashish Kapoor said that they had been looking for a pace bowling all rounder for a long time and Joshi proved to have that quality in him.

“All the selectors saw him playing in Puducherry and thought he had something in him. He could strike the ball hard lower down the order and is a smart operator with the ball in death overs,” Kapoor added.