Johor sultan renames cricket academy after Harjit Singh

 

Harjit Singh, who died in October, was the driving force behind the setting up of the academy.

PETALING JAYA: The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, today renamed the Johor Cricket Academy & Oval in Iskandar Puteri to the Dato Dr Harjit Singh Johor Cricket Academy & Oval.

In a Facebook post, Sultan Ibrahim said that the gesture is in recognition and appreciation of Harjit’s “vast contribution” to the growth of cricket in Johor and Malaysia.

Harjit died in October from heart complications. He was 70.

He was inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s Hall of Fame in 2017 in recognition of his services to the nation as a cricket player and administrator. Harjit was deputy president of the Malaysian Cricket Association from 1990 to 2003 and president of the Johor Cricket Council from 1986 until his death.

He was a driving force behind the establishment of the Johor Cricket Academy & Oval in Iskandar Puteri. It was the first cricket academy in Southeast Asia when it opened in 1998; its facilities enabled the state to host the International Cricket Council’s Under-19 World Cup tournament in 2008.

Avinderjit Singh, the acting president of the Johor Cricket Council, thanked Sultan Ibrahim for the gesture. He said Harjit’s contributions to the growth of the sport were immense. “We will always miss him.” - FMT