President’s X1 V/C says he learnt a lot from CPL

Oct 09, 2022 Sports

Matthew Nandu has no desire to play for Canada

By Sean Devers

Kaieteur News – Matthew Nandu, who turned 19 on June 3, was born in Canada and is the son of Berbice and Guyana leg-spinner Arjune Nandu and even if he plays for the Guyana senior team, he would still be eligible to play for Canada at the International level.

However, the flashy left-hander and competent off-spinner, has no desire to play for Canada although it would be easier for him to play for Canada at International level than the West Indies.

Canada has played 77 international matches including in the 1979, 2003, 2007 and 2011 ICC World Cups.

Matthew Nandu

“No I do not have any thoughts or intentions to play international cricket for Canada,” declared Nandu

The then 16-year old Nanda set tongues wagging in 2019 when the Guyana Under-17 player scored five consecutive half-centuries with his Canadian based Club, Tranzac in Guyana.

Nandu’s outstanding performances earned him selection for the Demerara Under-17 team and the Guyana Under-17 team that toured Trinidad for the CWI Rising Stars Under-17 tournament.

Nandu was then selected in Global T20 (GT20) Canada and although he failed to play in a match, shared the same dressing room with Chris Gayle.

He was selected in the Guyana U-19 team before being picked for the West Indies in the U-19 World Cup.

Nandu started the U-19 World Cup with a dashing 52 against India at Providence in a warm-up game last January but had a highest score of 10 in the eight times he batted in the main draw before scoring 128 against Papua New Guinea in the Plate Quarter Finals.

Last Sunday at Everest, he scored a century against Dundee Masters but apart from that game, Nandu, who been named Vice-Captain of the President’s X1 to play in the Inter-County 50-over tournament which starts on Monday with the President’s X1 opposing Essequibo at Everest, says he has not played much cricket in the past three months.

The Everest teenager will play his first senior Inter-County on Monday and the talented youth knows what he needs to perform well with both bat and ball.

“Just play my game, stay focussed, and when I am given the opportunity to bowl, keep the ball in the right areas. When it comes to batting, the plan is to give myself a chance and bat as long as possible while scoring runs.

I am very confident that the President X1 team will do well. It’s a young team, but talented as well,” Nandu said.

He also spoke about time in the CPL, where he did not play a match.

“I learned how to stay focussed on and off the field, as well as how to stay positive in difficult situations. To be able to witness how the senior men train, their work ethic and how they prepare for games ahead, was very valuable. I was able to work on all aspects of my game during the practice sessions,” informed Nandu who last played in Canada in July.

“Shai Hope, Jermaine Blackwood, Colin Ingram, Shimron Hetmyer, Chandrapaul Hemraj, and Gudakesh Motie just to name a few; having said that, every individual was open to any advice or guidance that I may have needed.

I am grateful for the relationships that I built with the entire team during the CPL,” continued Nandu who enjoys playing all formats.

“In the next two years my goal is to continue working hard, stay focussed, and play cricket for the Guyana senior team and West Indies team as well.

I would like to thank my parents, my older brother, Aunty Sonia, Uncle Richard, Everest Cricket Club, and Guyana Amazon Warriors for the continuous support.

Also want to thank the Guyana Amazon Warriors for giving me the opportunity to be apart of CPL 2022,” the batting All-Rounder concluded.