KARACHI (APP): Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja discussed and reviewed preparations for the upcoming HBL PSL-7th edition, starting at the National Stadium Karachi from January 27 to February 07, here on Tuesday.
According to a PCB spokesman, the PCB Chairman spent a busy day in the city as arrangements for the first leg of the seventh edition of HBL PSL were in the full swing.
In the morning, Ramiz Raja called on the Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah and discussed various PCB initiatives for talent-hunt and grooming in Sindh, renovation of cricket grounds, development of high performance centres besides plans for the successful hosting of the HBL PSL in Karachi.
Later, he met the senior police officials, district administrators, Sindh government officials and security officials, who would be involved in the staging of the HBL PSL Karachi-leg.
They discussed all possible means and measures to ensure smooth entry of the cricket fans while providing them with world-class facilities including the provisions of a fan park.
All stakeholders extended their full cooperation to the PCB initiatives for fan engagement and ease of security clearance and operations at the National Stadium for the spectators.
The PCB and all relevant stakeholders would work closely to provide cricket fans in Karachi the best possible experience for the HBL PSL in the days to come. Similar plans were also being brought in shape for the HBL PSL 7 Lahore-leg, following the Karachi-leg from 10 February.
Murad, Rameez agree to make Sukkur, Hyderabad hub of cricket matches: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Sindh has a lot of talents but we, the government and our institutions like PCB, would have to hunt it out and provide necessary patronage to the newcomers to bloom themselves and shine the name of the country. This he said on Tuesday while talking to Chairman PCB Rameez Raja here at CM House.
Mr Shah said that Pakistan Cricket has a long and bright future in our country but for this purpose we would have to hunt the talent in rural areas, promote and patronize them, otherwise we would remain lagged behind in this popular professional sport.
The CM said that he has constructed a Sport complex at Sukkur which has two cricket grounds, one football, one hockey and courts for squash, tennis and other sports. “I want the experts of PCB to visit them and guide them to make these grounds fit for PSL and other national or international matches. Chairman PCB assured the chief minister that he would dispatch his team to inspect the grounds and guide or supervise their development.
The Chief Minister and PCB chairman agreed to make necessary arrangements to organize some PSL matches at Hyderabad. Mr Shah said that Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad has the best ground but only some repairs of the stadium were required. ‘I had already decided to maintain the stadium but due to the COVID could not take up the project but now time has come to develop the stadium,” he said.
The CM said that the players would stay at best rest houses of universities or to be taken Hyderabad from Karachi by air. “Whatever would be feasible would be carried out but it has been decided that Hyderabad being hub of the rural Sindh would be given national and international matches soon,” the CM said.
PCB chief Rameez Raja said that he has a plan to hunt talent from nook
and corner of the province and would launch under-18 teams and would
also promote domestic cricket in different forms so that teams from
rural areas of Sindh and Balochistan could be brought forward.
The chief minister assured the chairman PCB of his full support for
promotion of cricket in the city, Hyderabad and Sukkur and would
patronize newcomers. NNI
