Regional Cricket Academy, Sheikhupura got underway on Friday at a simple ceremony held at Sheikhupura Stadium completing the first phase of lunch of cricket academies by PCB all over Pakistan.

Inaugurating the Sheikhupura Academy, former PCB Chairman Syed Zulfiqar Bokhari described the event as a "hunt of a different kind" in the historic city also known as a "Hunting ground of a Mughal Prince". Instead of game hunting the academy, he said will be meant to hunt the talent and groom young players on scientific lines. The game of cricket he said had overtaken all other sports in terms of popularity and growth. Being confined to few cities or some elite institutions like Government College and Islamia College Lahore in case of 1954 Team, it had now spread far and wide even to the remote areas of the county. The establishment of the Academies and the proposed scheme for setting up coaching centres, nurseries and clinics, he felt were the step in the right direction by PCB. He praised the efforts of PCB for fulfilling a long felt need of setting up above plans.

Earlier, General Manager Cricket Operations, PCB, Zakir Khan, in his welcome remarks dilated on the background and purpose of the Academies and talked about the phenomenal growth of cricket in Pakistan.

The academies, he said, will groom and harness the talent and pump in future replacements for the National Team. He also underlined the importance of the Regional academies and the proposed coaching centres in providing a proper national base for cricket which hitherto was confined to few big cities, banks or departments. Similarly various other steps envisaged under the "Vision 2005" by PCB, and in various stages of implementation, relate to Infra-structural improvement, reorganization of the format of domestic cricket, welfare of the cricketers and uplift of the game through a well concerned plan, he added.

The Chief Guest later formally inaugurated the Sheikhupura Academy, met the selected players lined up in the stadium and talked to two coaches, Shafiq Ahmed and Aaqib Javed. Senior officials of PCB, a team of Lahore journalists, and local guests were also present on the occasion.




Khalid Butt
Media Manager
1 June 2001

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