Khanzada, Zaheer inaugurate Hazru cricket academy

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada and Head of Cricket Coaching Academies Sports Board Punjab (SBP) Zaheer Abbas inaugurated Sports Board Punjab’s 10th cricket coaching academy at Hazru on Thursday.

Assistant Commissioner Shakeel Ahmad, DSO Malik Waqar, Chairman Baldia Saeed Araen, Member District Council Malik Ansaar, Attock cricket academy coaches Zafar ud Din, M Ikhlaq and a large number of cricket enthusiasts attended the grand opening ceremony at Jinnah Stadium, Hazru.

Jahangir Khanzada and Zaheer Abbas also inaugurated the installation of flood lights at Jinnah cricket stadium, Hazru. They also announced to open the next SBP Cricket Academy at Gujranwala. Addressing the opening ceremony, Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada said the Hazru Cricket Academy is definitely a wonderful sports facility for young and talented cricket players in this part of Punjab province. “Punjab govt under per the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif will continue to build such sports venues in other cities of province,” he asserted. Khanzada said that these academies are not for a particular class. All talented players of the region can take benefit of these top class sports facilities. “Punjab government is taking every possible step for the development of healthy activities,” he elaborated his point. In his address Zaheer Abbas said these academies are no less than a blessing for potential cricketers. “The young players of Punjab must avail these academies to polish their game under the supervision of expert coaches,” he added. Zaheer Abbas expressed his determination that these cricket academies will produce sufficient back-up talent for national cricket team in future. “Pakistan will get several star cricketers from these academies in the years to come,” he expressed his anticipation. Praising the efforts of Secretary Sports Punjab Aamir Jan, Zaheer said Secretary Sports Punjab has a prominent role in the establishment of cricket academies in the Punjab province. It may be noted here that before Hazru, Sports Board Punjab has already established nine cricket academies (six for boys and three for girls) in the past few years under the supervision of former Pakistan skipper Zaheer Abbas, who is also known as Asian Bradman in cricket world.