by The local government of Punjab province and the Pakistan Cricket Board have forged a new agreement this month, which represents a great leap forward for grassroots cricket in the region.
As a result of this cooperation, the Pakistan Cricket Board will be assuming responsibility for the administration of 15 cricket grounds dotted throughout the province, giving these clubs a welcome boost.
The beautiful game
This good news for grassroots cricket in Punjab has also been followed by another positive announcement for the province. The Punjab Cricket Association has revealed that it will be launching a School/College Women’s Cricket League, offering a new avenue for young women to enter the sport.
Cricket has an illustrious history in the Punjab, with the province having produced a number of famous faces in the world of Indian cricket. These include the likes of right hand batsman – and occasional right arm bowler – Mandeep Singh; former Indian international cricketer, Yuvraj Singh; and Shikhar Dawan, who currently plays for Delhi, and for the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Speaking of the Indian Premier League, you can keep tabs on all the latest matches and their outcomes by checking the Sportsadda live score.With these constant updates, you will never have to worry about losing track of your favourite team’s most recent scores again.
A boon for grassroots cricket
The latest agreement between the PCB and the Punjabi government is bound to have many positive results in the realm of amateur cricket in the coming months and years.
The Pakistan Cricket Board certainly seems to think so, and has been expressing its public gratitude to the local government for its assistance in this matter. The PCB has also reiterated its commitment to promoting cricket at a grassroots level, in agreement with the provincial government.
The Cricket Board also went on to highlight the recent success of the Pakistan-West Indies series, describing it as a “fresh example of the strong relationship between the PCB and the Punjab Government.”
While this newly minted agreement undoubtedly has the potential to nurture a fresh generation of future cricket stars, at a higher level the Punjab’s official cricket team, the Kings, have also been making a name for themselves this year.
Punjab Kings on the up
The team adopted a particularly aggressive approach during this Indian Premier League season, making three totals of 151 or under, and five totals of 180 or higher. This follows seven long seasons of failing to make the playoffs, which prompted the club’s R&D consultant, Sankar Rajgopal, to mastermind a team of powerful batters, with less of a focus on bowling prowess. This bold move initially brought problems in the first two matches of the season, but after these disappointing defeats the Punjab Kings began to rally, and their matches quickly became compulsive viewing.
Former professional gambler and member of the Punjab King’s auction team, Dan Weston, was bullish in his praise of the team’s new strategy, stating,
“Personally, going down the hitting route is something I really believe in: it’s not only a winning formula, but it’s also attractive from a marketing and branding perspective. There are IPL teams that I wouldn’t pay to watch. Teams nurdling the ball around for 140 and trying to defend it? That’s of no interest to the casual supporters. I’d pay to watch Punjab Kings.”
With such a compelling approach to their play, the province’s team has definitely become one to watch, demonstrating that adaptability and perseverance are part of their toolkit for success.
