KSL to play vital role in empowering Kashmiri youth, re-igniting cricket flame: Shahid Afridi
The Kashmir Supreme League (KSL) and the Sardar Group of Companies entered into an historic agreement for the promotion of cricket in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and to empower the Kashmiri youth by helping them realize their talent.
An MoU in this regard was signed on Saturday by the Chairman of the Sardar Group of Companies/Patron-in-Chief of the KSL and former Prime Minister of the AJK Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan and Chairman of the KSL Sardar Masood Ahmed Khan. Under the MoU, the KSL will organize cricket event in coming May-June 2025 in which six teams would participate.
The six teams participating in the league include: Rawalakot United, Muzaffarabad Falcons, Neelum Thunders, Bagh Royals, Mirpur Stallions, Kotli Kings, Valley Fighters and Overseas Patriots. In this edition, the two new teams are Valley Fighters and Neelum Thunders.
The MoU was witnessed by the former cricket stars of Pakistan Shahid Khan Afridi, Muhammad Hafeez, Shahid Nazir, Abdul Razzaq and showbiz celebrity Imran Abbas. Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan observer, Mr Faisal Zahid Malik also attended the MoU signing ceremony and congratulated Sardar Tanveer Ilays for the great initiative aimed at promoting cricket among the Kashmir youth.
Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas hoped the KSL would serve to promote Pakistan’s soft image in the world. Besides the platform would also project Pakistani youths’ talent particularly in cricket, he said.
Among the six teams of the KSL, one team is also representing Gilgit Baltistan, he noted with joy.
Shahid Khan Afridi in his address lauded the Chairman of the KSL and the organizers for launching a premiere cricketing forum. “I am sure the KSL would serve to promote cricket not only in Kashmir but in the entire Pakistan and the players from this league will find the opening to excel at larger and greater forums,” said former captain of the Pakistan cricket. KSL will bring the cricket back to the sports grounds and my family and I both are very excited for its success.
The participants of the MoU signing ceremony observed one-minute silence to express solidarity with the Palestinian men, women and children who have been subjected to worst kind of oppression by the Israeli forces. Geo TV will telecast live all the league matches including semis and final.
