The National Cricket Academy at Lahore along with Regional Cricket Academies at Karachi, Rawalpindi and Peshawar will start functioning simultaneously from May 14, 2001. Regional Academy Lahore functioning at Sheikhupura will start from June 1, 2001. All Academies will last till 25 August.

The National Cricket Academy will be formally inaugurated at Gaddafi Stadium on May 14, 2001. The formal inauguration of Karachi, Rawalpindi and Peshawar Academies, will be held on May 15, 16 and 18 respectively. The Regional Academy Lahore will be formally inaugurated at Sheikhupura on 1st June.

The objective of the National Academies, being set up for the first time by the PCB, is to prepare immediate replacements for the national team and also groom a group of junior players, built around those who have represented Pakistan in the Under 15, Under 17 and Under 19 teams. The Academies will also act as finishing schools to prepare and groom the players in the art of batting, bowling and fielding under the panel of coaches headed by former Test Cricketer Mudassar Nazar. The National Academy panel of coaches will consist of Mohsin Kamal and Ali Zia, the Pakistan Juniors will have Haroon Rashid and Azhar Khan as the Coaches. Sikander Bakht and Jalal-ud-Din will be the panel of coaches at Karachi, Masood Anwar and Sabih Azhar at Rawalpindi. Farrukh Zaman and Raj Hans are coaches for Peshawar.

PCB will also invite world class players in all departments of the game to give coaching and lectures at the Academy.

The main purpose of the Regional Cricket Academies is to groom talent that has been showing good results in the domestic cricket tournaments.

Selection of players for all the Academies was based on performances in the domestic season 200-2001 and their potential for higher level of cricket. The names were finalized by the Chief Coach with inputs from Haroon Rashid and Farrukh Zaman.

The Syllabus at the National Academy is wholesome. It covers social and communication skills, besides hard core cricket matters.

The present term of these Academies will last for three months. Being our maiden experience, we do expect some teething problems, which will be taken care of. Future terms of the Academies will be announced later.

The construction work of the buildings of the National Academy at Lahore will start soon, to be completed in 5-6 months. Once completed it will have a separate administrative staff. Such a venture will be partially sponsored. Efforts are also in hand to get sponsorships for Regional Academies. In due course we plan to set up more coaching centers in other parts of the country.

22 players have been selected for the National Academy and 24 chosen for the Pakistan Juniors academy at Lahore. 21 have been named for Rawalpindi, 28 for Karachi and 27 for Peshawar. Efforts have been made to cover all the areas of the country to pick up promising players. Some players from the remote and backward areas have been specially added in the Regional Academies.

All players will get a stipends of Rs: 500/- per month. For the National Academy board and lodge facility will be provided. For the Regional Academies only outstation players will get board & lodge facility. The academies will be located at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, National Stadium in Karachi, KRL Cricket Ground in Rawalpindi and Qayyum Stadium at Peshawar.

A list of all the selected players is being released separately and the players have been asked to report by 4 p.m. on May 13, 2001.

Media Manager
10th May, 2001

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