Peshawar Zalmi begins KP talent hunt trials in Khyber

JAMRUD: Peshawar Zalmi started trials for the eighth season of Pakistan Super League at the Jamrud Sports Complex in Khyber district on Thursday.

Director Zalmi Cricket and former fast bowler Muhammad Akram said that Zalmi trials would continue till September 20 to find talented youngsters from various districts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that in Khyber district, players from Peshawar, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Kohat, Bannu and Karak turned up on the first day while players from various districts including Hangu, Kurram, Orakzai, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan would appear in the trials on September 16.

Likewise, trials for the players from Haripur, Mansehra, Battagram, Toghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Upper and Lower Chitral and Abbottabad would be arranged in Haripur on September 18. Players from Swabi, Buner and Mardan would participate in the trials on September 19 and those from Charsadda, Shangla, Swat and Nowshera would appear in the trials on September 20.

Muhammad Akram said the trials were open to all to ensure opportunities to youths across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The selection committee including Wajahat Ullah Wasti, Muhammad Fayyaz, former star batsman Inzamam Ul Haq would monitor the performance of the players before finalising a total of seven teams and a team selected in the United Kingdom would also come to Pakistan for the League Tournament.

He said the selection of players in the first phase would be made through trials and after short-listing seven teams, the performance of each selected player would be statistically monitored before including them in the Zalmi team in the forthcoming HBL PSL-8.

He said such open trials would be held at 29 places including all big and small cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.