Samiullah Beigh declines JKCA selection panel role

Srinagar, Jul 9: In a surprising development, former J&K cricketer Samiullah Beigh on Wednesday refused to accept the role offered to him by the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), just a day after being named as a member of the Junior Men’s Selection Committee for the 2025–26 season.

Taking to his Facebook handle, Beigh announced his decision to recuse himself from the post, stating, “Just to inform one and all that I am not associated with the J&K Cricket Association in any capacity. Like all previous years, I have very politely recused myself from the offered role.”

The JKCA had, on July 7, announced its new selection committees following recommendations from its Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). Beigh was named alongside Arun Sharma (chairperson), Jagtar Singh, and Vikrant Taggar in the Junior Men’s Selection Committee.

Beigh’s public refusal has raised eyebrows, especially as his name was officially included in the list cleared by the JKCA Subcommittee.

Meanwhile, there has been no immediate response from JKCA officials on the matter.

Known for his consistency and discipline, Samiullah Beigh enjoyed a commendable domestic career. A right-arm medium pacer and a handy lower-order batsman.

Beigh played over 60 first-class matches, taking 158 wickets and scoring over 1,700 runs, including nine half-centuries and a century.

Beigh has also played 37 List A matches, where he claimed 36 wickets and scored valuable runs in the lower order. He also represented J&K in T20s, clinching 26 wickets in 23 matches.

He represented J&K from 2003 to 2017, becoming a mainstay of the team across formats.

Respected for his cricketing intelligence, Beigh often played a mentoring role to younger teammates. Even after retiring from professional cricket, he has continued to contribute to cricket discussions and mentoring.

As per Beigh, he has consistently maintained a distance from administrative roles in JKCA in recent years, despite being repeatedly offered positions owing to his cricketing acumen and experience.