Bengal cricket body gives lifetime achievement award to Gopal Bose

Kolkata, July 23 (CRICKETNMORE): The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Saturday feted former India cricketer Gopal Bose with the Kartick Bose Lifetime Achievement award for the year 2015-2016. Mushtaq Ahmed picks his all-time playing eleven.

 

Bose was a right-handed batsman known for his wide variety of strokes. He played a single One-Day International for India and an unofficial Test match against Sri Lanka in 1973, where he scored 73 and 17.

He also amassed 3757 runs from 78 first class matches and took 72 wickets with his off spinners.

Bose served as manager of the Indian team for the U-19 World Cup in 2007-2008 and then worked as CAB coach for different age groups.

"I would like to thank the CAB for this honour. I am really at a loss of words. I thank everyone who has supported me during my playing career, I would not be here without them. I am humbled and honoured," Bose said after receiving the award, which included a CAB blazer, a bouquet, a trophy and a cheque of Rs 2,00,000. Kumar Sangakkara picks his all-time playing eleven.

 

And fittingly enough it was CAB president Sourav Ganguly who handed over the award to the 69-year-old.

The Special Award for the year was given to former International Umpire Sunit Kumar Ghosh. He had umpired seven One-Day Internationals and two Test matches. He also officiated in the World Series final in 1989.

"This is special, will be special throughout the remaining days of my life," he said.

Ganguly said the annual awards platform is meant to recognise the talents who are putting in hard work every year.

"It is a platform for talent recognition," he said. "When I was a kid, I used to eagerly wait for these awards. I wanted them myself."

Ganguly also said the association was honoured to have hosted the World Twenty20 final which was a dream of late BCCI and CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya.

The cricket body also recognised future talents and the various clubs which triumphed in different tournaments.