Sialkot to get its own PSL team, says PCB Chairman

SIALKOT: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi arrived at the residence of Minister of Defence of Pakistan Khawaja Asif in Sialkot today. Former caretaker information minister Aamir Mir and former sports minister Wahab Riaz were also accompanying the PCB chairman.

Naqvi congratulate the Sialkot team for winning Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Last week, Sialkot had won the finale of the tournament after a thrilling finale against Peshawar.

Khawaja Asif held a media talk on this occasion, and welcomed Naqvi and other guests. Talking about the tournament he said, “Sialkot has won the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. This is a matter of great pride for us.”

Khawaja Asif said that there are many problems with cricket in Sialkot. “The first issue [here] is that there is no cricket stadium in Sialkot,” he said, adding that a budget of Rs3 billion has already been released for the stadium in the city.

He informed that the project of the Sialkot-Pindi Motorway has started and now the matter of the stadium will also be highlighted. “This motorway [project] should be given to the development authority, so that they can conduct their own investigation,” he added.

He lamented that constructing roads had become a profitable business, which is why the government should leave these projects alone, and instead be given to the private sector.

Khawaja Asif said that Sialkot is solving the problems of the stadium and that the Punjab government will also need help to improve the stadium. He said that people of the city are trying to solve the city’s problems and the government should also aide them in pursuit of the solutions. “Sialkot is my city, solving its problems is my priority,” Khawaja Asif said.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi also spoke to media and congratulated the winning team. He concurred with Khawaja Asif on the business perspective of construction and said that building stadiums has also become a very good business. “If the business community of Sialkot works together to build a stadium, PCB is ready,” Mohsin Naqvi added.

The PCB Chairman also said that Sialkot’s cricket team will now play at the national level as well. “More teams are being added to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) this year,” Naqvi said, adding that Sialkot’s team will also be among the teams coming to the PSL.

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