TIMES REPORT
PESHAWAR: Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ashfaq Khan visited the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar during the opening match of the President’s Trophy and reviewed the ongoing cricket activities.
Talking to the media on the occasion, Ashfaq Khan said the talented young players of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were a valuable asset for the province and the government was proud of its emerging cricketers. He said several KP players had represented Pakistan at national and international levels and brought honour to the country through their performances.
He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had always produced outstanding cricketing talent. Players including Wajahatullah Wasti, Arshad Khan, Riaz Afridi, Kabir Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Iftikhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman had established themselves in national and international cricket.
The DG Sports said the province had immense sporting talent, but young players needed quality coaching, professional training, adequate playing opportunities and modern sports facilities to polish their abilities. He said the Sports Department would continue its efforts to encourage young athletes and promote sports across the province.
Ashfaq Khan emphasized that sports were not only important for physical fitness but also played a vital role in character-building. He said sports activities promoted discipline, teamwork, tolerance, positive thinking and a spirit of striving for success among young people.
He described the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium as a venue of historical importance, saying the ground had provided opportunities to several talented cricketers in the past. The hosting of major cricket competitions demonstrated the presence of considerable cricketing talent in Peshawar and the need to provide it with appropriate platforms.
Director Imran Khan Cricket Stadium Jaffer Shah, Assistant Director Ashfaq Ahmed, former Test cricketer Riaz Afridi, Fakhar Zaman and other officials and personalities were also present.
The DG Sports also watched the ongoing President’s Trophy match and took keen interest in the performance of the players. He appreciated the efforts of Jaffer Shah for facilitating cricket activities at the stadium and providing players with a conducive sporting environment.
During the visit, Ashfaq Khan presented Chitrali caps and traditional shawls to national and prominent cricketers, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Iftikhar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman and Riaz Afridi.
Ashfaq Khan said hosting major competitions such as the President’s Trophy provided young cricketers of Peshawar an opportunity to watch and learn from high-quality cricket. Such events, he added, were highly important for encouraging local talent and promoting cricket in the province.
He reaffirmed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Department would continue its efforts to provide young athletes with greater opportunities, improved facilities and a conducive environment so that the province’s talented players could progress to national teams and represent Pakistan at the international level.
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