MISSISSAUGA: Shahid Afridi Cricket Club (SACC) was launched by Shahid Afridi in Toronto. The Club will compete in the Toronto & District League starting on the 19th of May and will be played on cricket fields across the GTA and King City.
Over 100 teams will be competing for championship in different categories and conferences. GTA has an estimated 20,000 registered cricketers competing in various leagues, of which the TDCA is the biggest cricket league in Canada and North America.
“During my meetings with Mayor John Tory and Premier Kathleen Wynne on my last visit to Canada, they discussed the need to support the development of cricket in Canada and I promised I would do something. It’s important to promote sports amongst youth. I am very happy to announce that we have launched Shahid Afridi Cricket Club to compete in TDCA and signed former Canadian Cricket team captain Rizwan Cheema as captain and mentor, and Ameem Haq as the General Manager”, said Shahid Afridi who is the CEO of SACC.
Shahid Khan Afridi, popularly known as Boom Boom, has 396 International matches under his belt and the record of the youngest to score a century at the International level. Afridi has won the most Man of the Match awards for his country thanks to his 8,000 runs and over 350 wickets.
Afridi, having ranked #1 all-rounder in the ICC rankings, plays all major leagues including PSL, BPL, CPL, County, T10 and is currently in-talks to play the Global T20 Canada League starting the 28th of June in Toronto.
Captain Rizwan Cheema said: “I feel proud to be part of the club and honoured to be chosen to lead the side. We have signed number of cricketers who are play for the Canada’s National team and Under-19 team, which puts the expectations very high from the get-go for SACC. I am confident that we will put our best foot forward.” Cheema, ex-captain of Canada’s national team, is a level 2 certified coach and played 41 International matches including the ICC World Cup.
Afridi said: “Cheema is an explosive batsman known for his hard-hitting batting and medium pace bowling, he is my kind of player and the pride of modern Canadian Cricket.”
The national speed-star Cecil Pervez said: “It is a great feeling to represent the club of a living legend like Shahid Afridi and I’m looking forward to a great season. We have good mixture of youth and experience and we are going to raise the bar for the players with hard work and focus.”
Canada National Team’s fastest bowler Satsimranjit Dhindsa said: “I am excited to be part of the club and to play along with players who have achieved so much at the highest level. For Canadian Cricket to flourish we need this transfer of knowledge and skill and I hope we achieve this.”
Shahid Afridi Cricket Club offered contracts to the following cricketers: Rizwan Cheema, Satsimranjit Dhindsa, Cecil Pervez, Ammar Khalid, Asad Zaidi, Maahil Arshad, Simon Pervez, Muzammil Ali, Ali Irfan, Mudassir Ali,Yax Patel”
Shahid Afridi showed full confidence and support to the players and had an important meeting with the club players and management discussing the vision and mission of the club.