October 23, 2020

Prof Siraj-ul-Islam Bukhari demands justice for deserving Karachi cricketers

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By Masood Sattar Khan

(Pakistan News & Features Services)
Prof Siraj-ul-Islam Bukhari, the fatherly figure of Pakistan cricket, has regretted the omission of some deserving players from Karachi in the 22-member national squad announced for the upcoming home series of One-day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals against the visiting Zimbabweans. 

Having been the longest serving Secretary of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), besides being a President for four years, Prof Siraj Bukhari, has in fact lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for ignoring the cricketers from Karachi and has appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also the Patron in Chief of the PCB, to hold an enquiry for what he described as step motherly and biased action. 

He has strongly urged Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is himself one of the greatest-ever cricketers of the country besides being a highly successful captain, for including the deserving players from Karachi in the national squad for the Zimbabwe series. 

In an impassioned press statement, issued on October 23, Prof Siraj Bukhari, whose association with the KCCA lasted nearly four decades, observed that it was for the first time in the history of Pakistan cricket when such biased and prejudiced treatment has been meted out to cricketers of the city of Karachi, having a population of more than 25 million, which has given bulk of outstanding to the country. 

He pointed out that the non-inclusion of Danish Aziz, who came up with exceptional performances in the recently held National T-20 cricket tournament in which he earned Man of the Match award two times, Hassan Khan, Azam Khan and Zahid Mahmood of Dadu from the younger lot and Khurram Manzoor and Sohail Khan from the experienced hands who also performed consistently, amounted to injustice.

“I will like to make a fervent appeal to the PCB Patron in Chief to hold an enquiry and do justice to these deserving and highly talented cricketers,” Prof Siraj Bukhari concluded.

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Khost youths demand timely holding of cricket series

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By Masood Sattar Khan

(Pakistan News & Features Services)
Youths and cricket fans came out on roads in Khost city, the capital of Khost province Afghanistan, demanding the timely holding of the Million Cup Cricket League in their area. 

They also accused the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) of trying to cancel the hosting of the league in Khost province, noting that the grand Paktia zone had legal rights to host the league. 

The participants at the march also claimed that the ACB officials did not have the necessary ability and qualifications to deal with the cricket affairs in Afghanistan. 

The ACB officials, meanwhile, have stated that the league will be held after completing its legal procedures. 

The protestors urged the Afghanistan government to take action against what they described as the unprofessional dealing of the ACB officials with cricket in the country. 

“The Million Cup Cricket League should be held in Khost. All arrangements have been made, the necessary guarantees have been given,” the protestors demanded. 

According to reports, the Million Cup Cricket League, Chinar Media Consultancy Services Co. and Moby Group Afghanistan had signed an agreement earlier this month in Kabul formalizing the collaborative effort to hold the cricket league's fifth season competition and broadcast the matches. 

The league, in coordination with the ACB will, for the first time, meet international standards and follow the board’s guidelines. The matches will be broadcast live on Lemar TV and Arakozia radio. The event is scheduled to start on October 30 at the stadium in Khost province and will continue until November 13.

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