President, COAS appreciate Pakistan cricket team’s performance

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa praised the Pakistan cricket team for lifting nation’s spirit with their performance.

Pakistan’s squad for World Cup T20 met the president and the COAS at a reception hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) at a local hotel Thursday evening. “Pakistan team lived up to its reputation as being unpredictable, yet being one of the best. They have made the country proud by beating the best teams on their way to the Word Cup final,” said President Alvi.

COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said he always enjoyed watching Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan batting up front. “Yet, I believe that there is no better T20 player than Shadab Khan who has every trick up his sleeves, required for a quality T20 player.” The Chief of Army Staff stressed upon cricketers to follow discipline and work even harder. “You have made the country proud by leaving the multi-billion dollar teams behind by reaching the final. The bowlers gave their heart out in face of a low target which was exciting to watch.”

The COAS said that leadership was all about the fighting spirit. “Winning and losing hardly matters. It is the exhibition of fighting spirit, which matters the most. Once you lose, you should have the courage to accept your defeat. The one who does not learn from his mistakes could not be called a true leader.”

An ardent follower of sports, the COAS also played the Patron’s Trophy during his heydays. “Yes, I remember scoring a century in the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II against PACO while playing as a wicketkeeper-batsman,” he said while talking to The News during an informal conversation.

The PCB chairman Ramiz Raja earlier praised his team for a successful run over the last few months that saw the team playing the Asia Cup and World Cup finals and winning the tri-nation in New Zealand.