PESHAWAR: Under the auspices of the Sports and Tourism Department, 300 different school teams, more than 4, 000 players and 585 matches will be played at 68 different venues in the province.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash was the chief guest who formally inaugurated the Inter-School Boys Cricket League at the historical Islamia College Cricket ground. Chief Secretary KP Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary Sports and Tourism Department Muhammad Abid Majeed, DG Sports Asfandyar Khattak, PCB CEO Cricket Association KP Babar Khan, Vice Chancellor Islamia College University, former cricketer Wajahatullah Wasti, Arshad Khan, Director Sports Islamia College Peshawar Ali Hoti and other important personalities were present.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Kamran Bangash said that through the PCB Inter-School Cricket Boys new talent will emerge and after school, such League would be organized at College and University level wherein players of different age would be part of the League.
The League, he said, is organized by KP Sports and Tourism Department, Pakistan Cricket Board and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Department. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa School Cricket Championship has included teams from 300 different schools across the province with more than 4, 000 players under the age of 16.
A total of 585 matches in the cricket league will be played at 68 different places in the province, he informed. The Cricket League will continue till November 7, 2021. Kamran Bangash said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is being welcomed at the international level and now foreign tourists are flocking to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which is welcome for tourism and economy in the province.
They will also hold an Inter-College and Inter-University Cricket League very soon and opportunities would be given to the players of the colleges and universities as well. The government is giving a monthly stipend to 1, 200 medallists’ players.
Along with cricket, a hockey league has also started. He said that sports was being promoted in the province on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan and plans have been launched under the leadership of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to promote sports at grassroots level.
Quality Cricket Stadiums are being built and competitions in other sports are being started in the coming days. Special Assistant Kamran Bangash and Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz inaugurated the Championship in a colourful opening ceremony attended by former international, first-class cricket, officials of the schools, and players.