>Anupamdutta73 at 01:58, 25 October 2020

2020-10-25T01:58:12Z

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{{short description|Omani cricketer of Indian origin}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Ajay Lalcheta
| image =
| caption =
| country = Oman
| fullname = Ajay Vrajlal Lalcheta
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|10|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Porbandar]], [[Gujarat]], India
| heightft =
| heightinch =
| heightm =
| batting = Left-handed
| bowling = [[Left-arm orthodox spin|Slow left-arm orthodox]]
| role =
| international = true
| internationalspan = 2011–present

| odidebutdate = 18 August
| odidebutyear = 2019
| odidebutagainst = Scotland
| odicap = 14
| lastodidate = 21 August
| lastodiyear = 2019
| lastodiagainst = PNG

| T20Idebutdate = 21 November
| T20Idebutyear = 2015
| T20Idebutagainst = Hong Kong
| T20Icap = 15
| lastT20Idate = 17 February
| lastT20Iyear = 2019
| lastT20Iagainst = Scotland
| T20Ishirt =
| columns = 2
| column1 = [[Twenty20 International|T20I]]
| matches1 = 9
| runs1 = 37
| bat avg1 = 18.50
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 16
| deliveries1 = 213
| wickets1 = 6
| bowl avg1 = 39.83
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = n/a
| best bowling1 = 1/13
| catches/stumpings1 = 3/–
| column2 = [[Twenty20|T20]]
| matches2 = 18
| runs2 = 44
| bat avg2 = 22.00
| 100s/50s2 = 0/0
| top score2 = 16
| deliveries2 = 405
| wickets2 = 14
| bowl avg2 = 32.50
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = n/a
| best bowling2 = 2/13
| catches/stumpings2 = 4/–
| date = 21 August 2019
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com//ci/content/player/543449.html ESPNCricinfo
}}
'''Ajay Vrajlal Lalcheta''' (born 22 October 1983) is an [[Oman]]i [[cricket]]er of Indian origin. Lalcheta played underage cricket in India before emigrating to [[Oman]], making his debut for the [[Oman national cricket team|Omani national side]] at the [[2011 ACC Twenty20 Cup]]. He played five matches at the [[2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier|2012 World Twenty20 Qualifier]] in the United Arab Emirates, which were accorded full [[Twenty20]] status.

==Early career==
Lalcheta played several seasons for [[Saurashtra cricket team|Saurashtra]] underage representative sides. He is a left-handed [[batsman]] and [[left-arm orthodox spin]]ner. He made his debut for the [[Saurashtra cricket team|Saurashtra under-16s]] in November 1998, aged 15, in the 1998–99 [[Vijay Merchant Trophy]]. In that tournament, he scored 187 runs, behind only [[Mahesh Bhutia]] (204 runs) for Saurashtra,<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/6/Vijay_Merchant_Trophy_1998-99/Batting_by_Runs.html Batting and Fielding in Vijay Merchant Trophy 1998/99 (Ordered by Runs)] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> most of which came in an innings of 87 against the [[Maharashtra cricket team|Maharashtra]] under-16s.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/119/119909.html Saurashtra Under-16s v Maharashtra Under-16s], Vijay Merchant Trophy 1998/99 (West Zone) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> Lalcheta went on to play at under-19 and under-22 level for Saurashtra, with his last match in an Indian domestic tournament coming in November 2005, in the [[C. K. Nayudu Trophy]].<ref name="misc">[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/15/15216/Miscellaneous_Matches.html Miscellaneous Matches played by Ajay Lalcheta (53)] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref>

== Oman career ==
After emigrating to [[Oman]], Lalcheta made his debut for the national side at the [[2011 ACC Twenty20 Cup]], where [[Oman]] finished third to qualify for the [[2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier]] in the [[United Arab Emirates]]. At the [[ACC Twenty20 Cup]], he took eight wickets at an [[Bowling average|average]] of 12.00, behind only [[Aamer Kaleem]] and [[Hemal Mehta]] (10 wickets each) for Oman.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/16/Asian_Cricket_Council_Twenty20_Cup_2011-12/Bowling_by_Wickets.html Bowling in Asian Cricket Council Twenty20 Cup 2011/12 (Ordered by Wickets)] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref>

Against [[Afghanistan national cricket team|Afghanistan]], the eventual winner of the tournament, he took 4/13 from 3.3 overs, though the [[man of the match]] award went to Afghan [[Hamid Hassan]], who helped bowl Oman out for 77.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/390/390974.html Afghanistan v Oman], Asian Cricket Council Twenty20 Cup 2011/12 (Group A) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> At the World Twenty20 Qualifier, Oman lost all seven of its group matches to finish bottom of Group B, but defeated [[Denmark national cricket team|Denmark]] in the 15th-place playoff.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/16/ICC_World_Twenty20_Qualifier_2011-12.html ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2011/12] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref>

Lalcheta played in only five matches at the tournament – he was first included in the team for its second match, against [[Uganda national cricket team|Uganda]], but after playing in the next match, against [[Kenya national cricket team|Kenya]], made no further appearances until towards the tournament's end, playing in the final two group matches against [[Namibia national cricket team|Namibia]] and [[Ireland cricket team|Ireland]], and then in the 15th-place playoff.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/15/15216/Twenty20_Matches.html Twenty20 matches played by Ajay Lalcheta (5))] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref>

Lalcheta bowled 17 overs at the tournament, taking four wickets at an average of 25.25. His best figures, 2/13 from four overs, came against [[Namibia national cricket team|Namibia]], and included the wickets of veterans [[Gerrie Snyman]] and [[Nicolaas Scholtz]].<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/393/393174.html Namibia v Oman], ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2011/12 (Group B) – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> Only [[Hemal Mehta]] (12 wickets), [[Zeeshan Siddiqui]] (8), and [[Rajesh Ranpura]] (5) took more wickets for Oman at the tournament.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1196/1196118/1196118.html Bowling for Oman], ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2011/12 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref>

Since the [[2012 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier]], Lalcheta has featured regularly for Oman in ACC and ICC limited-overs tournaments, including the [[2013 ACC Twenty20 Cup|2013]] and [[2015 ACC Twenty20 Cup]]s, the [[2014 ACC Premier League]] and the [[2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Three|2013 WCL Division Three]] and [[2014 ICC World Cricket League Division Four|2014 WCL Division Four]] tournaments.<ref name="misc"/> Notable performances have included 4/22 against [[Hong Kong national cricket team|Hong Kong]] in the 2014 ACC Premier League,<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/642/642076.html Hong Kong v Oman], Asian Cricket Council Premier League 2014 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> 5/20 against [[Singapore national cricket team|Singapore]] in the 2014 WCL Division Four tournament,<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/653/653854.html Singapore v Oman], ICC World Cricket League Division Four 2014 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> and a man-of-the-match 36 runs and 3/22 against [[Saudi Arabia national cricket team|Saudi Arabia]] in the 2015 ACC Twenty20 Cup.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/754/754190.html Oman v Saudi Arabia], Asian Cricket Council Twenty20 Cup 2014/15 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> Lalcheta's 12 wickets in the 2014 WCL Division Four tournament were second only to [[Malaysia national cricket team|Malaysia]]'s [[Sharul Nizam]] (16 wickets) overall.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/22/ICC_World_Cricket_League_Division_Four_2014/Bowling_by_Wickets.html Bowling in ICC World Cricket League Division Four 2014 (Ordered by Wickets)] – CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 February 2015.</ref> Against Denmark in that tournament, he ran out [[Shehzad Ahmed (cricketer)|Shehzad Ahmed]] while he was backing up, providing one of the few instances of "[[Mankading]]" in an international competition.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/653/653853.html Denmark v Oman], ICC World Cricket League Division Four 2014 – CricketArchive. Retrieved 26 May 2015.</ref>

== International career ==
He made his [[Twenty20 International]] debut for Oman [[Hong Kong cricket team against Oman in the UAE in 2015–16|against Hong Kong]] on 21 November 2015.<ref name="T20I">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/930575.html |title=Hong Kong tour of United Arab Emirates, 1st T20I: Hong Kong v Oman at Abu Dhabi, Nov 21, 2015 |accessdate=21 November 2015 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref> He was named captain of [[Oman national cricket team]] for [[2016 ICC World Cricket League Division Five]] replacing [[Sultan Ahmed (Omani cricketer)|Sultan Ahmed]] who captained them in [[2016 ICC World Twenty20]].<ref>[http://www.cricketcountry.com/news/ajay-lalcheta-to-captain-oman-in-world-cricket-league-division-5-428059 Ajay Lalcheta to captain Oman in World Cricket League Division 5]</ref><ref>[http://timesofoman.com/article/83380/Sports/Cricket/Oman-cricket:-Injured-Amir-Ali-out-Noorul-Riaz-in OOman cricket: Injured Amir Ali out, Noorul Riaz in]</ref><ref>[http://timesofoman.com/article/80891/Sports/Cricket/Ajay-Lalcheta-to-lead-Oman-in-World-Cricket-League Lalcheta to lead Oman in World Cricket League]</ref> He made his [[List A cricket|List A]] debut for Oman in their three-match series [[Omani cricket team in the United Arab Emirates in 2016–17|against the United Arab Emirates]] in October 2016.<ref name="LA">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1061126.html |title=Oman tour of United Arab Emirates, 1st Match: Oman v United Arab Emirates at ICCA Dubai, Oct 13, 2016 |accessdate=13 October 2016 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref>

In January 2018, he was named in Oman's squad for the [[2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Two]] tournament.<ref name="OmanWCL2">{{Cite web|url=http://timesofoman.com/article/125576/Sports/Cricket/Cricket-Three-debutants-in-Oman-squad-for-WCL-Division-2-in-Namibia |title=Cricket: Three debutants in Oman squad for WCL Division 2 |accessdate=9 January 2018 |work=Times of Oman}}</ref> In August 2018, he was named in Oman's squad for the [[2018 Asia Cup Qualifier]] tournament.<ref name="OmanACQ">{{cite web|url=https://timesofoman.com/article/139366 |title=Cricket: Maqsood to lead Oman at Asia Cup Qualifiers in Malaysia |work=Times of Oman |accessdate=6 August 2018}}</ref>

In December 2018, he was named in Oman's team for the [[2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/squad/1167676.html |title=Oman Under-23s Squad |work=ESPN Cricinfo |accessdate=3 December 2018}}</ref> In July 2019, he was named in Oman's [[One Day International]] (ODI) squad for the [[2019 Scotland Tri-Nation Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofoman.com/article/1654497/Sports/Cricket/Oman-has-high-hopes-of-doing-well-in-ODI-campaign-Mendis |title=Oman has high hopes of doing well in ODI campaign: Mendis |work=Times of Oman |accessdate=24 July 2019}}</ref> He made his ODI debut for Oman, against [[Scotland national cricket team|Scotland]], on 18 August 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1196673.html |title=4th Match, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 at Aberdeen, Aug 18 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo |accessdate=18 August 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cricinfo|ref=/ci/content/player/543449.html}}
* {{cricketarchive|ref=Archive/Players/15/15216/15216.html}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lalcheta, Ajay}}
[[Category:1989 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:Saurashtra cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to Oman]]
[[Category:Omani cricketers]]
[[Category:Oman One Day International cricketers]]
[[Category:Oman Twenty20 International cricketers]]
[[Category:People from Porbandar]]
[[Category:Omani cricket captains]]

Ajay Lalcheta - Revision history

>Anupamdutta73 at 01:58, 25 October 2020