Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ch Zaka Ashraf has on Wednesday announced cash incentives for the Pakistan Under-19 team and has also lined up three preparatory matches in Australia before the next month’s Under-19 World Cup. The team was given Rs 200,000 each for their exceptional performance in the Under-19 Asia Cup which Pakistan juniors jointly won the title and shared the trophy with India.
The Pakistan under-19 team held India to a tie in the final of the Asia Cup to share the trophy with the arch rivals. Pakistan’s star batsman Sami Aslam was awarded an extra Rs 100,000 for his best performance in the tournament. Sami scored two centuries and both his hundreds were registered against India while the team management including manager Haroon Rasheed, Coach Sabi Azhar, Physio Dr Sohail Salim and other were given Rs 100,000 each.
Addressing the evening arranged to honour the Under-19 team, Zaka Ashraf said, “We are proud of the performance of the team and it is the PCB’s long term policy of grooming young players which is now paying dividends. The team was selected from trials at different level one year ago and now it is giving results.”
He particularly praised the performance of Sami Aslam for scoring two centuries against India and also hoped that the hard work of the team will give results in the upcoming Junior World Cup. “We have arranged three ODIs for the team’s preparation for the World Cup and by the time they will figure in the mega event they would be fit enough to bring the trophy to Pakistan.
Also present on the occasion were PCB COO Subhan Ahmed, PCB Director General Javed Miandad, PCB Women Wing Chairperson Bushra Aitzaz, Chief Selector Iqbal Qasim and other officials of the board.
Earlier, Haroon Rasheed praised the behavior of the junior players on and off the field. “I have worked with several teams but the behavior of this team is worth praise,” he maintained.
He further stated that it is the first step forward for the team by winning the Asia Cup but their main target is the World Cup and for that they will be properly fine-tuned so that there will not be any problem for the team to deliver. In the end, PCB chairman gave the cheques to the players and the team management.
