PCB honours Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai
Shaharyar Khan names inaugural Under-21 National Women’s Championship after Malala
LAHORE–October 31, 2014: On the initiative of the Chairman PCB, Shaharyar Mohammad Khan, the Board has decided to honour Malala Yousafzai, Pakistan’s young Nobel laureate for peace 2014, by naming its inaugural Under-21 National Women Cricket Championship 2014-2015 after her.
“The Nobel Prize for Peace for young Malala is a great honour for the entire nation. Not only has it given Pakistan’s image a huge boost, to the young women in this country, and our women’s cricket team in particular, it provides inspiration and stimulus to excel.
“Naming of our premier age-group women’s event after is a tribute to her signal achievement”, said Shaharyar Khan, speaking at a press conference here Friday afternoon.
Malala, an ardent advocate of children’s education with special emphasis on the right of girl child to education, on October 10, 2014 became the youngest individual to win the Nobel Prize, sharing the honour with India's Kailash Satyarthi, who campaigns against child trafficking and child labour.
“The PCB has focused on the development of our women’s team in recent times. Our women cricketers have gradually picked up and only last month the Women’s Team has retained the Asian Games gold at Incheon.
“This golden performance came on the back of a very competitive four-match series against Australia where our women though losing 4-0 gave a frontline team run for its money.
“Soon at every regional center PCB will be provide a dedicated ground so that our women cricketers could hone their skill-set in a safe environment.
“With so much effort and attention being given to our women’s team, and with the way the game is spreading far and wide, I am sure it will provide our women cricketers the spur and the incentive to be amongst the very best in the world”, said Shaharyar Khan.
On Younis Khan’s performance & reward:
To a question, Shaharyar Khan said: “As I had promised after his century in each innings feat, the PCB shall definitely reward him for this string of standout performance against a top-of-the-line outfit like Australia. That said, I have known Younis Khan for a long time now. He is an honourable man and to him team and country come first. He does not play his cricket for financial rewards”.
On Najam Sethi’s nomination as ICC President for 2015-16:
“The position maybe titular, but I tell you it would help Pakistan cricket’s cause as PCB would have two representatives in the ICC. Najam Sethi’s diplomatic skills and good articulation shall definitely be our strength”.
Salient features:
Malala Inaugural Under-21 National Women Cricket Championship 2014-2015:
The tournament is scheduled to in December 2014 when 12 regional teams shall part in the contest for the trophy in two rounds – Qualification and Final.
- With 12 Regional Teams participating, 168 U-21 cricketers from all over the country shall get an opportunity to showcase their talent.
- The event will be contested in two Rounds.
- In the first Round, six regional teams from weaker regions play a Qualification Round; six matches shall be played in the first round.
- The top two teams from the qualification round will advance to the second round, where they shall join top six regional teams.
- With eight regional teams participating, total number of matches is 13.
- In order to improve the overall standard of women’s cricket and to give greater representation to players, there would be a relegation system.
