Pakistan, best-known as a cricketing nation will now be importing balls for the upcoming Blind Cricket World Cup (BCWC) to be staged in Cape Town, South Africa from November 25 this year.
Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) Chairman Syed Sultan Shah said the decision for using Pakistani balls in the extravaganza was made in the Annual General Council Meeting of the World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) held last year.
Sultan Shah, who is also the Chairman of WBCC, feels honored for the nation that Pakistani ball is being used in the mega event.
He said prior to this India’s balls were being used in the mega event but due to its poor quality it failed to keep up with the demand and therefore a Lahore-based ball manufacturing company got the assignment.
“England has ordered 1000 balls to be used in their blind cricket events while Sri Lanka (200), Australia (200), India (300) and Australia (500) have given their orders for blind cricket balls to Pakistan,” he said.
Speaking of the National Blind Team’s preparations for the World Cup, Sultan Shah said a training camp will be held at Lahore in September including 30 probables out of which 16 will be finally selected.
Sultan said some changes will be made in the World Cup squad and team management.
“Many youngsters have impressed us in the domestic circuit and we are hoping to include some youngsters in the squad,” he said.
Sultan praised Peshawar’s all-rounder Haroon Khan and Bahawalpur’s bowler Sajid Nawaz saying they are performing extremely well in the domestic circuit.
Sultan said we have requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for Rs 20 million budget for the year 2014-15. “Special grant of Rs 6.2 million for the World Cup has been included in it,” he said adding which will be hopefully released.