• Imran and Munro will coach the PJL teams.
• There are now a total of 5 mentors.
• PJL will start in October this year.

PJL 2022: Former South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir and New Zealand explosive batsman Colin Munro have been selected as coaches for the two next Pakistan Junior League teams (PJL).

The two overseas cricketers will serve as squad advisors with former Pakistani and West Indian captains Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, and Darren Sammy. On the other hand, the renowned Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad has already been chosen as tournament mentor.

With the addition of Munro and Imran, the total number of team mentors now stands at five. While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will appoint the sixth team mentor in due course.

In a statement issued by the PCB, Imran expressed his happiness at being nominated as a team mentor for the PJL. He also stated that he supports the concept of the junior league because it will increase the country’s player pool.

“Returning to Lahore for the Pakistan Junior League in a team mentor’s role is one of my most satisfying achievements as I still owe a lot to my country of birth. This is an exciting opportunity to work with emerging slow bowlers and help them develop and flourish so that they have a chance to emulate the great spinners this country has produced,” Imran stated.

“I am fully behind the philosophy of Pakistan Junior League as this creates a tough and challenging environment for the players with high expectations, and only those who will clear this scale will go leaps and bounds in their careers. With the amount of international cricket being played, this event will help Pakistan to amplify their pool of players, which, in turn, will increase playing opportunities and earning the prized national cap,” he added.

On the other hand, explosive New Zealand batsman Munro hailed the effort as a game-changer for Pakistan cricket and praised the PCB for investing in youth and guaranteeing the sport’s future.

“I am excited to be part of the inaugural Pakistan Junior League, which I believe will be a game-changer for Pakistan cricket. Investing in youngsters, securing the future of the game and ensuring the national side continues to move in an upward direction should be the objectives of all administrators and I think the PCB has taken a lead here by launching this tournament, which will expose the young talent to the rigours and demands of top-level cricket and help Pakistan in the longer run,” Munro stated.

“Working with youngsters, sharing knowledge and helping them grow in their careers is something that interests and excites me, and I am really looking forward to being a part of the Pakistan Junior League. Having seen firsthand experienced the tremendous talent at the HBL Pakistan Super League, I have no doubts the Pakistan Junior league will produce future champions of world cricket,” he added.

The six-team PJL 2022 will begin play on October 4, and the championship game will take place on October 17. Under-19 teams will compete in the inaugural T20 league, which will feature both local and international talent. The young players will be recruited by the teams using a draught method.

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