FORMER Guyana National wicket-keeper/batsman Azib Ali Hanif and another Guyana-born former Canadian player, Abdool Samad are among the six coaches confirmed for Cricket Ontario’s Under-23 High Performance Camp, scheduled to get underway on Sunday. The camp runs until April 13.
The others are Canada Cricket Manager, Ingleton Liburd who will serve as Coach/Camp Coordinator, Shanuka Dissanayaka, Amarinder Bhinder and Gary Grewal.

Haniff, who is a qualified International Cricket Council (ICC) coach, has been working for Cricket Ontario for the past three years, pointed out that his experience off the field as a former national player has enabled him to guide teams mentally and physically and be prepared for each game.

Hanif was also the coach for the provincial women’s team which emerged victorious in the 2024 Cricket Ontario women’s tournament. He’s also a selector for the Ontario men’s and youth teams.

Samad, also an ICC Level 1 coach, represented Canada as an all-rounder in the West Indies Regional Under-19 tournament in 1998-99. He also played in the 2003 World Cup and was recalled in 2006 and made an immediate impact, scoring 119 on his Intercontinental Cup debut against Bermuda.

The Under-23 High Performance Camp falls under Cricket Ontario Senior Committee which is headed by another Guyanese, Shiv Persaud, who also serves as the Secretary of the governing body. Other members are Zahoor Butt, Ranjit Chaudhri, Gurpreet Hothi, Gokul Kamat and Nabiullah Nawabi. President Praim Persaud is default to all committees for guidance and oversight.

Those shortlisted for the Under-23 High Performance Camp are: Aarav Kuyeskar, Harjap Saini, Divyanshu Grover, Abduljalil, Yash Padhiar, Kairav Sharma, Mosam Parekh, Sreeram Parekh, Kunal Kunal, Aayan Asif, Deep Patel, Anoop Chima, Sidaq Sngh Oberal, Ethan Gibson, Aryan Ketul Raval, Yash

Monakar, Omarkhil Keerthivardhan Susarla, Shazil Sulman, Sheil Patel, Sivkarmarun, Saay Jani, Yash Vardhan Sehhgal, Omar Hamza Noorishani, Arya Katariya, Jamal Shamsudeen, Johnathan McCollin, Tarandeep Singh, Sagar Patel, Eran Maliduwapathariana, Diraj Deol, Gavinir Bhular and Ravindra Nauth.