Yunus Alvi / Nuh-Mewat (Haryana) 

Nuh (Mewat), Haryana, one of the NITI Aayog's 100 most backward districts, is oin the headlines for positive reasons. Son of the soil Shahbaz Ahmed's selection to the Indian cricket team's T20 squad has sent a wave of pride and joy across.

Nuh is celebrating the success of one of its sons, who embodies the struggles of young athletes of the land. For the locals, Shahbaz Ahmed's story is a triumph of the spirit of never giving up over hardships and lack of facilities.

Born in Mewat, Haryana (which, according to a 2018 government report, was India's most backward district), Shahbaz began as a batsman and played local cricket in Mewat and surrounding areas, but opportunities were limited. Lack of facilities, a lack of resources, and a difficult path to the big stage of cricket—these were all challenges Shahbaz faced.

But Shahbaz was driven by a passion to make a difference. Driven by this passion, in 2015, Shahbaz moved to Kolkata to try his luck in club cricket. It was a major decision, leaving his family behind and embarking on a new path. In Kolkata, he honed his left-arm spin bowling and established himself as a formidable all-rounder. It is the result of his hard work that has landed him in the Indian cricket team.

Shahbaz on the field

Recently, Indian all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out of the remaining two matches of the T20I series against South Africa due to illness, and the men's selection committee named Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement for the T20Is in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

This wasn't just an opportunity for Shahbaz, but a moment of return to Team India after 800 days. The 31-year-old has played three ODIs and two T20 Internationals so far. He last played for India in the 2023 Asian Games.

Shahbaz's cricket record also reflects his versatility. Left-arm spin all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed has played a total of 114 T20 matches so far, in which he has scored 1355 runs, including one century and four half-centuries.

He has also demonstrated his prowess with the ball, taking 73 wickets. He has also made his mark in the IPL; he played for RCB (2020-2023), Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025. In 58 IPL matches, he scored 545 runs and took 22 wickets.

Before he was selected, Shahbaz had been practicing hard at the SPL Cricket Ground in Taoru.

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Rashid Ahmed, director of the SPL Cricket Ground, described Shahbaz as a promising Mewati cricketer. "He is extremely hardworking and never misses a day of practice. His selection is a matter of pride for Mewat, and especially for Taoru," he said.