Chennai-based food delivery worker chosen as net bowler for Netherlands as preparation for upcoming ODI World Cup 2023

The highly anticipated  ODI World Cup 2023 is scheduled to kick off from October 5 to November 19. The opening match of the tournament will feature the 2019 World Cup finalists, England and New Zealand. Both the powerhouses will be facing off at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. The Netherlands cricket team secured their place in this prestigious event, alongside Sri Lanka, by topping the  World Cup Qualifier 2023 held in June in Zimbabwe. The team has already arrived in India for their pre-tournament training camp. They had previously issued a call for local bowlers to assist them during their net sessions.

After sifting through over 10,000 applications, Lokesh Kumar, a Chennai resident, was selected as one of the four bowlers to participate in the program. His selection garnered attention due to his role as a Swiggy delivery driver. The 29-year-old is now actively training with the Dutch team and has expressed his delight at being recognized for his cricketing skills.

The Netherland Cricket took to the official handle to let out information about the selected players. They wrote,” Thank you for the overwhelming response to our net bowler’s hunt, India. Here are the 4 names who will be part of the team’s #CWC23 preparations.”

Out of the other three, two have been associated with IPL teams

Notably, three young talents, namely Hemant Kumar, Rajamani Prasad, and Harsh Sharma. All these players have been chosen to join the Netherlands‘ preparation camp ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Hemant is a left-arm pacer who holds the position of Assistant Administrative Officer at the Rajasthan High Court. He is from hailing from the village of Churu in Rajasthan.  In 2022 and 2023, he was selected as a net bowler for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals, respectively.

Prasad is originally from Telangana and has a prior history of involvement in the sport. He was previously a member of the Hyderabad Cricket Association. Currently serves as a net bowler for the Chennai Super Kings. In addition, Harsh, who is a left-arm orthodox spinner, was a key part of the team that clinched the North Zone Inter University Championship title. He also secured second place at the All India Inter University Championship. This Haryana-born player also had the opportunity to participate in the RCB camp held in Mumbai in 2022.