Sprite Cricket Next (SCN) 2012, the one of its kind sporting experience for fostering the talent of Pakistani youth, entered into its second phase as the battle for supremacy between ‘Josh’ and ‘Hosh’ grew bigger than ever. The second phase kicked off with the top 180 qualifiers (30 teams) from Karachi competing to win a spot in the ‘Josh’ or ‘Hosh’ squad and be directly coached by legendary cricket icons Shoaib Akhtar and Moin Khan. During the first round of elimination, 30 teams competed amongst each other until only 15 remained. These 15 teams (90 players) went on ahead to be judged based on their individual performances. They were further shortlisted for the next round in which each of them would be assessed individually by Shoaib Akhtar and Moin Khan. Out of these 48 players, Shoaib and Moin each drafted a team of 11 of the best players to represent ‘Josh’ and ‘Hosh’. Both teams faced each other in an action packed game of street cricket and based on individual performances during the match, Shoaib and Moin scouted players for their final squads. In addition to these players, there were four wild card entries, talented individuals who were granted an opportunity to play against Shoaib and Moin and impressed thoroughly with their exceptional skills. Speaking on the occasion, Shoaib Akhtar shared, “I am very excited about the JOSH players that are coming up; it’s exciting to see youth in its raw, talented form, as it reminds me of myself and how I started my career. It is evident that JOSH players clearly have an edge because they display all the attributes of a winning team. Through this platform provided by Sprite, which I have supported from the start, it is clearly evident to all that cricketers with JOSH have a clear street cricket advantage”. Moin Khan, while sharing his views on the occasion stated, “I personally believe that cricket is a game which requires a sound presence of mind as it involves being able to make informed decisions and taking calculated risks. This platform provided by Sprite will prove once and for all that it takes HOSH and not JOSH to win, especially in street cricket. My players are patient, they have a reasoned and calculated approach and I know they will overcome the JOSH squad any day of the week, month or year.”
