DG SBP Usman Anwar, Zaheer Abbas sign MoU for sports promotion

Lahore: Sports Board Punjab (SBP), as per the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with International Cricket Council (ICC) President Zaheer Abbas on Friday for establishing cricket academies in all major cities of Punjab province.

Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar and Zaheer Abbas singed the MoU and exchanged the documents after the media talk.

Earlier, Punjab Minister for Sports and Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan and Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar received the distinguished guest upon his arrival at Sports Board Punjab.

Addressing the press conference, Rana Mashhood said it was agreed that Punjab government, on the directives of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and ICC Chief will make combine efforts for the promotion of cricket and other sports in the province.

He said Punjab govt has already been doing extensive endeavours for the better sports future of the country. “In this regard an important meeting was held under the chairmanship of Hamza Shahbaz on January 4. The present status of sports grounds and arrangements regarding the establishing of cricket academies in Punjab were also reviewed in the meeting,” he informed.

Rana Mashhood said around 1000 sports playfields in Punjab and 29 grounds alone in Lahore will be ready in near future for young sportsmen. “The districts where sports grounds are being constructed are Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujrat, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Okara, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, DG Khan and Layyah,” he added.

The minister further informed that Zaheer Abbas will supervise the establishment and functioning of sports academies in major cities of Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Sialkot. “A cricket academy will also be raised in Kinnaird College for female cricketers,” he said.

“Zaheer Abbas will monitor the coaching and working of academies with his staff. That time is not far when Pakistan will be able to produce world class cricketers with the collaboration of ICC chief, who is also known as Asian Bradman,” he explained.

To a query, ICC President said he had a detailed meeting with Punjab Chief Minister for the growth of cricket in Pakistan. “I accepted role in cricket academies whole-heartedly will try my best to polish young cricketers,” he added.

Zaheer, replying a query about how he will spare time for academy training, said he has only five months left as ICC President and after that he will have enough time to supervise academies across the province.

Zaheer Abbas said the network of academies in Punjab will be a helping hand to Pakistan Cricket Board. “We are not working against them but we are facilitating their endeavours for the nurturing of cricket in Pakistan”.

Director General Sports Punjab Usman Anwar, responding to a question regarding selection of players for training at cricket academies, said: “All the players will be selected according to merit. Zaheer Abbas will head the executive board established for the training and coaching purposes. The office and other arrangements will be completed shortly for Zaheer to perform his role in academies smoothly”.

Secretary Sports Punjab Humayun Mazhar Sheikh was also present in the press briefing.