Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has said that the selection of the Pakistan cricket team is based on merit, while stressing the need to promote sports alongside education.
Speaking at an event at the University of Central Punjab in Lahore, Naqvi said the PCB would continue supporting talented players. He noted that 11 members of Pakistan’s Under-19 team had progressed from school-level cricket.
Naqvi said criticism of the national team’s performance had continued for some time, but the PCB was taking steps to improve player preparation and promote cricket across the country.
He said that two years ago, there were limited new players available for inclusion in the national team, whereas the focus is now on identifying and developing talent already present in the country.
School Cricket Expansion
The PCB chairman said Aqib Javed and others had worked hard to develop the talent pathway. He added that school cricket had been launched for the first time, with 1,400 school teams currently participating in Lahore.
According to Naqvi, the number of school cricket teams is expected to exceed 3,000 next year.
He also announced that from this year, the PCB will award Rs20 million to the winning team and Rs10 million to the runners-up, with the prize money aimed at encouraging teams and increasing interest in cricket competitions.
Naqvi further expressed hope that Pakistan would achieve greater success in sports, including winning more gold medals.