By Rashid Latif
Rawalpindi: Former Pakistan Cricket team captain and President Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA) Rashid Latif has announced that the Four-Nation Disabled Cricket Tournament in the month of November this year in Pakistan.
He also announced future international activities of PDCA and Pakistan Disabled Cricket Team. Rashid said that the Pakistan Disabled Cricket Team will participate in Triangular Cricket Series in the month of July this year in England. Host England, Pakistan and Bangladesh will compete in the series.
He said this at the news conference here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday held in the connection of 6th National Disabled T-20 Cricket Championship, which will start from February 13 to February 16 in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
He said Pakistan and PDCA has been a founder of Disabled Cricket and this cricket is very popular among the disabled persons around the world and PDCA has played a vital role in the development of Disabled Cricket.
Rashid further said he was the keen to see the world cup for disabled cricketers and now we are very happy to announce that the World Cup for Disabled Cricketer will be played in England in next year and England will be host of this world cup.
Rashid thanks the PCB for giving the NOC for the Four Nation Tournament in Pakistan in which Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan will play in November this year in Karachi.
He also thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior and Governor of Sindh for grant the permission and NOC for the event they are arrange the full security and promise the full support to PDCA for organizing the event. Rashid also louded the effort of Founder of Disabled Cricket Saleem Karim. He started the Disabled Cricket from Karachi in 2007 and also was alone sponsored for the PDCA and Disabled Cricket and now this unique cricket is playing around the world. On the occasion General Manager Domestic PCB Shafiq Ahmed, Muhammad Younus of ICRC, Syed Shahzad Shah of PTCL, Director PDCA Sabih Azhar and Media Manager Muhammad Nizam were also present.
Ortho Work Shop Manager ICRC Pakistan Muhammad Younus said in his speech that organizing 6th National Disabled T-20 Cricket Championship in Karachi and Islamabad with partnership of PDCA is another step forward to assist and support the people of Pakistan and specially people with disability. The event will provide psyco-social rehabilitation for the people with disabilities and will encourage them to participate in such activities. Our partnership with PDCA will help to promote the issues related to different social stigmas attributed to the people with disabilities.
Syed Shahzad Shah EVP Marketing and Communication Co-sponsor PTCL on the occasion said PTCL is proud to partner in the noble cause of promoting cricket among the talented disabled cricketers of our country. These special players need over full support to become part of the healthy society, not to forget cricket campaigns the physically challenged have brought many laurels to the country. PTCL playing its role in promoting sports at the grass roots level, not only for able bodied people through other initiatives, but also for physically disabled individuals through such tournaments.
Hon. Secretary Amiruddin Ansari thanks the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to giving the full support and guidance to PDCA in National and International activities. He also said before this event 4 times PDCA National Championship held in different cities and this is the 1st time the 2nd Phase of the event will be held in twins cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad from the 13 February to 16 February. The 2nd Semi Final will be played on 16th February at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has once again the co-sponsor in this event. ICRC is a marvelous and praiseworthy step of ICRC which will be quite helpful and will play great role in promoting the Disabled Cricketers not only in Pakistan but in other countries also added. We hope that the joint effort of ICRC and PTCL will continue in future. Here also announced the detail.
The 6th edition of National Disabled T-20 Cricket Championship Group “C” and “D” matches will starts on Tuesday 13th February 2018 9:30 a.m. at Rawalpindi Stadium, Diamond Cricket Ground and National Cricket Ground total eight teams included title defender Multan will complete in the first face which has been divided in two groups. The Tournament being organized by Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association (PDCA). Recognized and supported by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
According to the Hon. Secretary PDCA AmirUddin Ansari the league matches which will continue till February 15th. Two times defending Champion Multan Disabled Team will defend the title and hungry for the hat-trick. Azad Kashmir team take on Islamabad Disabled Team match at 9:30 a.m. at Diamond Cricket Ground in group “C”, Rawalpindi will face Sialkot Disabled team 9:30 p.m. at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in group “D”. In the evening fixture in group “C” host Lahore Disabled team will take on FATA 1:30 p.m. at Diamond Cricket Ground while Abbottabad will meet Peshawar 1:30 p.m. at Pindi Stadium in Group “D”.
The two top teams from group “C” and “D” will meet in the 2nd Semi Final at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium at 10 a.m