It’s time for the next gen

First edition of the PJL will start on October 6 in Lahore

The inaugural edition of the Pakistan Junior League (PSL) is set to kick off on October 6 at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

As many as 90 players were drafted into the six teams, including 66 local and 24 foreign players from nine International Cricket Council member nations, to play the first-ever edition of the league featuring U19 cricketers.

The youngsters in the league will be mentored and inspired by some of the biggest names in the cricketing world, such as West Indies’ great Sir Vivian Richards (Gwadar Sharks), Daren Sammy (Hyderabad Hunters), Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi (Mardan Warriors), Shoaib Malik (Gujranwala Giants), South Africa’s Imran Tahir (Bahawalpur Royals) and New Zealand’s Colin Munro (Rawalpindi Raiders), while Javed Miandad will mentor the entire league.

Last week, international budding cricketers started reaching Lahore from their respective countries and were all excited to have their first franchise league experience.

The teams will practice for four days leading up to the tournament opener between Gujranwala Giants and Mardan Warriors, which will be played at 8pm on Thursday.

The 19-match tournament will be played on a single league basis with the six teams competing against each other once. The top four sides will compete in the playoffs, the final will be played on Friday, 21 October.

Before the conclusion of the PCB Pathway Programme earlier this week – almost all local PJL players were involved in the programme, the captains spoke about their excitement of playing the PJL, captaining their side and the lifetime opportunity of working with some of the greats of the game who are involved as mentors in the league.

Captain’s views

Bahawalpur Royals captain Obaid Shahid maintained that being picked up and named as captain of the side is nothing short of a dream for him. The 15-year-old right-handed batter and right-arm leg-spinner is looking to make use of his grit and passion while leading his team.

“I am determined to make an impression in the tournament and lead my side with grit, determination and passion,” he said. “This league is an incredible opportunity for all of us and we are all excited to participate.”

Meanwhile, talking about his team’s mentor Tahir, he stated that the veteran leg-spinner will inspire them to maintain their fitness.

“Our team mentor is Imran Tahir who despite his age remains one of the fittest players around. Having him in the dressing room means a lot to us, we would surely benefit from his presence and his immense experience as a T2o player,” he said. “He will also inspire us to raise our fitness standard.”

Gujranwala Giants’ captain Uzair Mumtaz shared similar thoughts as of Shahid and maintained that it is an honour to captain a team in the PJL.

“I was overjoyed at my selection for the PJL and honoured to captain Gujranwala Giants,” he mentioned. “My parents and family are really happy for me and are praying for my success.”

The 18-year-old added that all his teammates are looking forward to learning from one of the greatest T20 players ever, Shoaib Malik, who will mentor them.

“Our mentor Shoaib Malik is a legend of the game and his presence will mean a lot to us,” he said. “We all hope to learn a great deal from him and aspire to make the most of his experience and pedigree. Having Shoaib in the dugout would help us immensely considering his rich T20 experience.”

Shamyl Hussain, the captain of Gwadar Sharks, is itching to get into the field and show his set of skills to the world.

“It was a big honour to get chosen for the Sharks and then being named the captain was the icing on the cake,” he stated. “I am really excited to deliver for my team as a player and captain.”

Any kid who has ever dreamed of playing competitive cricket must have admired the great Sir Vivian Richards. One can imagine how huge it will be for those young cricketers who will have his mighty presence in the dressing room and learn from him.

“Having a mentor like Sir Vivian Richards is absolutely incredible, his presence alone will make a big impact in our dugout and we will learn a great deal from his experience and stature in the game,” he said.

Moreover, Hyderabad Hunters’ leader Saad Baig, who is just 15 years old, is seeing this glittery T20 league as an opportunity to grow as a cricketer as the event will comprise some of the best young talent from around the world.

“I am thrilled to captain the Hyderabad Hunters in the Pakistan Junior League,” shared. “I have made steady progress at the age-group level and this opportunity will help me improve my game further while competing with some of the best U19 talent from around the world.”

Hunters are mentored by the two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Daren Sammy, who can be a better teacher than the former West Indian captain to teach the tricks of the shortest format of the game to the youngsters.

“Our team mentor, Daren Sammy, is a T20 World Cup winner and has legendary status in the T20 format, we are all looking forward to learning from his vast experience.”

Furthermore, Abbas Ali’s family was over the moon when they learned about his selection in Mardan Warriors that too as the captain.

“My family was overjoyed with my selection in the Mardan Warriors team,” he said. “Captaining the side in the Pakistan Junior League is a fantastic opportunity for me and I want to give my absolute best in the tournament.”

The right-arm off-spinner and batter is thrilled to have Shahid Afridi at his corner.

“Shahid Afridi’s presence as Mardan’s team mentor will be hugely beneficial for us considering his rich experience in the T20 format. Shahid will hopefully inspire us to great success in the tournament,” he added.

Right-arm medium pacer Habibullah is confident of his team’s, Rawalpindi Raiders, potential and is excited to lead them.

“I am delighted to captain the Rawalpindi Raiders in the league. My squad has some exciting talent and I am looking forward to leading them to success in the tournament,” he said, adding that they are looking forward to learning from their mentor, Colin Munro.

Background

As Ramiz Raja took the reins of the Pakistan Cricket Board in September 2021, one of his primary goals was to transform young talent into world-class players and to serve this purpose, he came up with the idea of the junior league.

On April 14, 2022, the PCB soft-launched the league through their website. On August 30, 2022, the board announced the names of the teams, each unit representing a different city.

Initially, the PCB wanted to follow the franchise model similar to their showpiece event Pakistan Super League; however, they later decided to keep the ownership of all the sides.

The authorities claimed that they had made the decision to keep the quality of the tournament at par. On the other hand, there were claims that none of the franchises was sold; thus PCB decided to go ahead with this plan.