Post World Cup,Canada skipper Bagai steps down

“It has been an honour to captain my country in the sport I love and I thank everyone in this organisation who helped and supported me throughout my term including administrators,coaches,managers and most of all,the players,” said Bagai.

“I undertook each task over the last two years with the primary objective of moving not just the team but also the entire organisation forward. It has been a great learning experience for me and I wish the next captain all the best in leading the team forward,” he added.

Bagai was appointed captain for the 2007 Intercontinental Cup but he chose to take up a job in the banking industry in the UK later that year,making him unavailable for many of Canada’s matches. In 2009,Bagai quit his job and signed a contract with Cricket Canada to play the sport full time,and has been captain of the national team since.

Cricket Canada president Ranjit Saini accepted the resignation and thanked Bagai for his contributions. “Cricket Canada thanks Ashish for his outstanding contribution to Canadian cricket at a time when circumstances were difficult and challenging. I wish him well for a bright and prosperous future and look forward to his continued contribution as a player and strong supporter of Canadian cricket.”

Canada will feature in the Intercontinental Cup in June,where the team will play four-day matches over 28 months against Afghanistan,Ireland,Scotland,Kenya,Netherlands,Namibia and UAE.