By Syed Khalid Mahmood
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
The prizemoney of the 2nd Peace Cup Ramazan Festival Cricket Tournament 2014, due to get underway under floodlights at the Lawai Cricket Stadium in Naya Nazimabad, Karachi, later in the week, has been enhanced substantially.
It was announced that the total prize money of the Peace Cup has now been raised to Rs 700,000 with the winners to collect a purse of Rs 400,000 and the runners-up to receive Rs 200,000.
Arif Habib, Chairman, Arif Habib Group, having masterminded the development of a cricket stadium of international standard in the massive 2,100-acre housing scheme in the northern area of the city, shared the details of the mega project during a media briefing at the Karachi Gymkhana on June 23.
He dispelled the impression that security was an issue while playing or commuting at the Lawai Stadium which will now be playing host to the second edition of the Peace Cup, after a successful launch last year.
“Security is not area-specific issue. Living in DHA, I visit the ground almost every Sunday to play cricket matches. The management and staff of the Naya Nazimabad go there on a daily basis. The area is as safe as any other locality of Karachi ,” he reckoned.
Arif Habib, himself an enthusiastic cricketer, disclosed that following the completion of the cricket stadium, now construction work has commenced on the development of grounds for hockey and football besides a club house, which will have facilities for indoor games.
Responding to a question, Mohammad Iqbal, Director Sports, Naya Nazimabad, informed the media that they were awaiting action from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) who have been requested to allocate them some matches during the upcoming 2014-15 cricket season at the Lawai Stadium.
“The PCB committee had visited the Lawai Stadium and they agreed that it’s equipped with the modern paraphernalia amd merited consideration for being used as a venue for the national tournaments in the coming season,” he added.
“Located in the vicinity of the populous North Nazimabad, our stadium seems to be having all the ingredients of becoming a venue for first-class matches as well as limited overs games under floodlights,” Iqbal felt.
As many as seven teams, United Sports Club, Faisalabad Wolves Star Cricket Club, Bank Islami, Vital Five Academy, Haidery Traders, Azad Pak Ltd and Royal Cricket Club will be making their debut in the 2nd Peace Cup.
Defending champions Omar Associates, last year’s runners-up Qasmi Cricket Club, Alamgir Gymkhana, Travels Cricket Club Afghanistan, Sony Associates, Eaton Cricket Club, BYI Cricket Club, Advance Telecom and Brothers Cricket Club Dadu will be the other participating outfits in the tournament due to commence a couple of days before the start of the holy month.
