Engro-PCB ink deal to run cricket coaching project
By our correspondent
KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Engro on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which the company of high repute will assist the Board in its pathway cricket programme, which is called Engro Cricket Coaching Project, which will work on the 100 best kids in various age-groups to build a strong back-up for the elite squad in future.
The PCB chairman Ramiz Raja and Engro Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ahsan Zafar Syed signed the memorandum document here at the National Stadium during a formal ceremony.
“It’s a very huge project and my chairmanship hangs on its success,” Ramiz said while speaking on the occasion.
“If you keep the rest of the projects on the one side, this 100-best project of cricket pathway has a huge weightage. It’s sometimes not highlighted as it is work in progress and from here we will get the super stars and the strength will be produced via this project,” Ramiz said.
“I am thankful to Ahsan, Engro CEO. When a company of high repute aligns with the PCB it raises the status of the Board. And Engro understands that this concept has the speed, strength and future and Engro, as a business model, wants to invest in future. It is investing in Pakistan’s future canvas and when we will get the super stars Engro will say that it has also contributed massively,” Ramiz said.
Ramiz said that coaches will come under this project and Engro will bear their expenses.
“In the process whatever we will need Engro will support us,” Ramiz was quick to add. “The 100-best idea is that your Under-13, Under-17 and Under-19 kids will be properly groomed, their techniques will be changed and so their lives. It will ensure Pakistan’s cricket future and will give strength to the team and on that we are working. It’s a highly expensive project. If you have to produce the world’s best youngsters then you will need money. So Engro has helped us and we will try to live up to its expectations as far as delivery is concerned. This project will be properly handled and we will introduce new lot which will be exceptional. We want to take this project to a new height. You can experiment with the kids at this level. The kids will be provided education, stipends, equipment and a distinct environment which will help in the success of this project,” Ramiz said.
Meanwhile Engr CEO Ahsan Zafar said that Engro is a home-grown Pakistani organization.
“It’s a home-grown Pakistani organization and our company is focusing on the pressing issues of the current era and its aim is to do such a work which could help the country to grow. Engro constantly tries to ensure our talented youth to develop their skills and highlight them especially in sports and health,” Ahsan said.
“When we saw that Ramiz announced different projects during his nine-month tenure as the PCB chairman and of them the PCB Pathway Cricket under which he wants to train 100 best kids was an opportunity that in that zone the alignment of Engro and PCB can be made quite well. Pakistan is the fifth youngest nation of the world and 65 percent of its population is below 35 years of age. If there is such a huge youth so its important to focus their energy on a productive and healthy side and I think there is nothing more healthy activity than sports,” he said.
He said that cricket is the passion of Pakistani people and unifying point.
“Our cricket team’s success rate is near 75 percent and in the past we achieved great successes but we saw dip in those achievements and our graph remained low for long time. Under the Engro Cricket Coaching Project those 100 kids will be trained and it will create a pipeline for making it to the national team,” he said. “These kids will be imparted training relating to cricket and their character will be built. It’s a forward-looking approach of the PCB not only for cricket but for nation and the entire country,” he said.
“I will give credit to the PCB for bringing such a good project and we are not only with the Board for this programme but for any such programme which will be forward-looking,” Ahsan concluded.