With the Asia Cup set to commence on September 9th, Anshuman Rath, an Odisha-born wicketkeeper, will feature in the tournament and has caught the attention of the fans.
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Rath, the 27-year-old left-handed keeper-batter, will feature for Hong Kong in the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup, a side he previously captained.
In this article, The Sporting News takes a closer look at THE wicket-keeper from Odisha who is ready to set the stage on fire at the upcoming continental event.
Who is Anshuman Rath?
Anshuman Rath is a Hong Kong cricketer from the state of Odisha in India. Born on November 5, 1997, he is based in Satyanagar, Bhubaneswar, and belongs to an Odia family.
Rath's father left India for business and settled in Hong Kong, where the cricketer was born. He started playing cricket at the age of four and went on to represent the Hong Kong national side.
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The left-hander made his One-day International debut for Hong Kong back in 2014, where he featured against Papua New Guinea. He further went on to represent the side in the shortest format during the World Cup qualifiers in 2015.
In April 2019, Rath was named captain of the Hong Kong side for the 2019 ICC World Cricket Division League Two. He ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 290 runs in just six matches.
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Rath's move to his home state Odisha
In a shocking turn of events, the 27-year-old decided to retire from Hong Kong cricket to pursue cricket in India. Rath had a very settled career in Hong Kong, which he decided to quit and move forward.
His decision, however, did not go very well. After being eligible to play for Odisha in 2021, he represented the state for two years, but when he returned to Hong Kong in 2023, he was exhausted.
"I'm someone who enjoys cricket because of the camaraderie, the team environment. In Odisha, I just wasn't feeling it," Rath stated to ESPNcricinfo. "I was questioning myself, doubting every decision I'd made," he added.
Instead of playing for the country, which he had already captained previously, the young man contemplated a career in finance in 2023. He was 20 Kilos heavier and was mentally and physically drained after two years with the Odisha side.
"For me, I'm a massive team person. So I love playing with my teammates. That's why I don't think of it as work. Whereas when I was in Odisha, the environment wasn't like that. The coaches had their favourites," Rath mentioned
However, after two years, Rath is all set to play for Hong Kong once again. He will play a crucial role in the Hong Kong batting lineup, which is led by Babar Hayat and Nizakat Khan.
Hong Kong is all set to start its Asia Cup campaign on September 9th against Afghanistan in the opening game of the tournament.
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