Islamabad (Syed Javed Hassan Shah): Nine shortlisted young cricketers from the Zalmi trials held earlier this year will travel to Kuwait to play domestic cricket. They will also be provided with employment opportunities.

“We will continue to provide platforms for young cricketers to showcase their talent. We are building pitches across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and will offer global playing opportunities to fans around the world through the Global Zalmi platform,” said Javed Afridi, Chairman of Peshawar Zalmi.

This is a proud moment for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Peshawar Zalmi, as nine talented young cricketers from the Zalmi Talent Hunt and Trials held in Peshawar earlier this year have now been selected to represent Kuwait in international cricket.

Selected Players:

The nine shortlisted cricketers who will now play in Kuwait are:
Abdul Rauf, Muhammad Haroon, Haroon Rasheed, Haseeb Khan, Jehanzeb Khan, Abdullah, Muhammad Salman, Saqib Khan, and Shuraim Ali Khan.

Earlier this year, Peshawar Zalmi organized talent hunt trials at Arbab Niaz Stadium and Hayatabad Sports Complex in Peshawar, where thousands of aspiring young cricketers from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated.

These young cricketers will now gain international exposure by playing for Kuwait as part of an exchange program between Peshawar Zalmi and Kuwait Cricket. They will also receive jobs and have the opportunity to gain experience in domestic cricket.

Background:

During the trials earlier this year, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Peshawar Zalmi and Kuwait Cricket, launching an exchange program under which players from both countries can represent each other’s teams.

Peshawar Zalmi Chairman Javed Afridi reiterated his commitment to providing young cricketers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with opportunities and facilities to showcase their talent. He emphasized that under the exchange program with Kuwait Cricket, young players will benefit from international exposure. Additionally, more cricket pitches will be developed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to promote grassroots-level cricket.

In the past, Peshawar Zalmi and the Zalmi Foundation have successfully organized events such as the Zalmi Madrasa League, Zalmi School League, Zalmi Azadi Cup, and Zalmi Media League.

At the January trials, several prominent figures were present, including former national captain and Zalmi mentor Inzamam-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Zalmi’s Director of Cricket Mohammad Akram, and former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Gul, who helped select and mentor the players.