LAHORE–October 1, 2014: Shaharyar M. Khan, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Dr Sohail Naqvi, Vice-Chancellor of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), signed an MOU at LUMS Wednesday (October 1, 2014) morning to advance the game of cricket, to the mutual benefit of both institutions.
PCB will support development of cricket at LUMS through providing coaching services, internship programmes for recommended students, and consultancy and development of LUMS’ cricketing facilities (nets, grounds, pitches, etc).
LUMS for its part will create custom-made programme for the development of young cricketers, which, among others, include communication skills, stress management, drug abuse prevention and leadership.
LUMS shall also allow, at mutually convenient times and dates, use of their cricket ground for practice of the national women’s cricket team, national women's cricket tournaments and HEC cricket tournaments.
At the signing ceremony, PCB Chairman, Shaharyar Khan said: “I’m truly delighted at the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding. This is PCB’s first-ever collaboration with any university. And I am sure that with the lead provided by a centre of excellence like LUMS, more top of the line educational institutions shall benefit by aligning their cricket programmes with PCB’s development plans.
“The best thing about this collaboration is that it is a two-way street, with both sides making a significant contribution.”
“This signing is most auspicious as far as LUMS is concerned. It shall tremendously support cricket in LUMS while we shall also make a tangible impact by providing specially produced modules for PCB’s Youth Development Programme and by opening up our facilities for PCB’s women’s teams,” said LUMS Vice-Chancellor Dr Sohail Naqvi.
Dr Naqvi further said, “Sports activities are encouraged and supported by the LUMS administration. LUMS provides various sports facilities to its students including the Maratab Ali Sports Complex, which offers facilities for several games; football fields; cricket grounds; tennis courts and walking tracks. An Aquatic Centre is also under construction at LUMS.”
It is pertinent to mention here that an Advisory Council will have oversight over the programme and will be keenly measuring progress once every three months.
