Developing ties through cricket

Majid Khan, member of the Pakistan Cricket Association, is heading the club. All the members of the Zaman Park CC have emotional ties as they had their cricket lesson in Jalandhar before the partition. Ahmed Nisar Zaman Khan, Ahmed Hasan Khan, Muhammad Nauman Khan, Majid Khan, Dr Farrukh Ahmed Khan and Babar Zaman Khan will be visiting Pakistan along with their wives. The other members of the team are: Ahmed Shah Zaman Khan, Ahmed Unser Zakan Khan, Farid Khan, Nasir Zaman Khan, Javed Zaman Khan, Bazid Khan, Raza Ahmed Khan, Saba Mohiuddin Khan, Jamshed Burki, Rauf Ahmed Khan, Qasim Zaman Khan, Faisal Zaman Khan, Hammad Nadir Khan, Huma Anwar, Saad Najam Khan, Tariq Zaman Khan, Tasneeem Inam, Mazhar F Shirazi, Arslan Khan Burki, Sarah Burki, Adnan Khan and Fariduddin Khan.

The PCA has planned a `big reception’ for the Zaman Park CC team on April 3. The visitors cross the border on April 1. They will play limited overs matches at Jalandhar (April 2), SAS Nagar (April 4), Patiala (April 5) and Amritsar (April 7). All matches will be against the respective district teams.

Pandove Benefit: The Board of Control for Cricket in India has allotted a benefit match to PCA secretary M P Pandove for his contribution as cricketer and adminstrator. The PCA will host the match on June 26. It will be played between Indian cricketers and Sri Lanka cricketers who will be part of their respective squads for the World Cup. Bindra has been authorised to nominate members of the organising committee.

Bindra announced that a purse of Rs 20 lakh would be presented to Pandove who has decided to donate the entire amount to the Dhruve Pandove Trust which will promote junior cricketers.

Cricket Academy: The Punjab Cricket Association is setting up a cricket academy. “It will not be a pace or spinners academy. It will be total cricket. It will be an academy of excellence on the lines of Australian Academy,” said Bindra who added “we will invite the best from all over the world to impart training in their respective departments of the game.”

The academy, to be launched on May 15, will provide standardised coaching. To start with, 40 players would be selected for the state academy. The district level academies will function at Jalandhar, Amristar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Patiala. “Only those who show promise will be retained. The best among them will be shifted to the PCA Stadium.

The PCA has already received offers from a number of sponsors. Manufactures of cricket equipment and sports wears will also be involved in sponsoring the academy.

No passes: Bindra, meanwhile requested all the PCA members and cricket lovers not to embarrass PCA by asking for complimentary passes. “After we repay the debt, it will be back to normal. Please bear with us,” he said. He also informed that this time the passes will be issued only to the sponors and those in-service.