MCA to continue Pranav Dhanawade's scholarship, after reviewing cricketing activities

Mumbai: The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) will continue the scholarship awarded to record-setting young cricketer Pranav Dhanawade and the pending amount will be given after reviewing his cricketing activities, an official said on Tuesday. The official was responding to news reports that Dhanawade, who became the first cricketer in the world to notch a four-figures innings last year, was yet to receive the monthly scholarship amounting to Rs 10,000 in 2017. [caption id=“attachment_3776821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Pranav Dhanawade shot to fame after remaining unbeaten on 1009 off 323 deliveries in a school-level match in Mumbai. PTI[/caption] He will be given the benefits as per the clauses of the scholarship letter, the MCA functionary maintained. The association had decided to award the scholarship to the cricketer for his stupendous feat. The period of the scholarship was from January 2016 to December 2021. In January last year, Dhanawade — a student of the KC Gandhi Higher Secondary school in Kalyan (on the outskirts of Mumbai) — had batted for 395 minutes in the two-day game against Arya Gurukul in the MCA-conducted Bhandari Cup inter-school cricket tournament to remain unbeaten on 1,009 off 323 balls. During this marathon knock, the 17-year-old struck a staggering 59 sixes and 129 fours. “We are continuing his scholarship. It was decided that his academic and cricketing activities will be reviewed every year,” the official told PTI. “We have given him the scholarship amount for 2016. Since the cricketing season got over on 31 May, the MCA will review his cricketing activities and the same will be forwarded to the Managing Committee. We just want to ensure that he is playing cricket,” the official added. According to the MCA, Dhanawade’s scholarship has not been stopped in any manner. So after five years, the cricketer would have got Rs 6 lakh as scholarship from the MCA.