LAHORE: Former South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir and New Zealand explosive batter Colin Munro has been appointed as the mentors for the two teams of the upcoming Pakistan Junior League (PJL).
The two foreign cricketers will join former Pakistan and West Indian captains Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, and Darren Sammy as the team mentors. The legendary Pakistan batter Javed Miandad, on the other hand, has already been appointed tournament mentor.
With the inclusion of Munro and Imran, the overall tally of team mentors has risen to five. Whereas, the sixth team mentor will be announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in the due course.
In a PCB released statement, Imran expressed delight at being appointed as a team mentor for the PJL, while also asserting that he backs the idea of the junior league as it will amplify the pool of players for the country.
“Returning to Lahore for the Pakistan Junior League in a team mentor’s role is one of my most satisfying achievements as I still owe a lot to my country of birth. This is an exciting opportunity to work with emerging slow bowlers and help them develop and flourish so that they have a chance to emulate the great spinners this country has produced,” Imran stated.
“I am fully behind the philosophy of Pakistan Junior League as this creates a tough and challenging environment for the players with high expectations, and only those who will clear this scale will go leaps and bounds in their careers. With the amount of international cricket being played, this event will help Pakistan to amplify their pool of players, which, in turn, will increase playing opportunities and earning the prized national cap,” he added.
Explosive Kiwi batter Munro, on the other hand, termed the initiative as a game-changer for Pakistan cricket and lauded the PCB for investing in youngsters and securing the future of the game.
“I am excited to be part of the inaugural Pakistan Junior League, which I believe will be a game-changer for Pakistan cricket. Investing in youngsters, securing the future of the game and ensuring the national side continues to move in an upward direction should be the objectives of all administrators and I think the PCB has taken a lead here by launching this tournament, which will expose the young talent to the rigours and demands of top-level cricket and help Pakistan in the longer run,” Munro stated.
Welcome onboard, @manuz05 & @ImranTahirSA 👋🏼
Read more: https://t.co/blwYtzItJf #Next11 l #PJL pic.twitter.com/9ZchF1sPwU
— Pakistan Junior League (@ThePJLofficial) July 29, 2022
“Working with youngsters, sharing knowledge and helping them grow in their careers is something that interests and excites me, and I am really looking forward to being a part of the Pakistan Junior League. Having seen firsthand experienced the tremendous talent at the HBL Pakistan Super League, I have no doubts the Pakistan Junior league will produce future champions of world cricket,” he added.
The six-team PJL will roll into action on October 4, while the final of the event will take place on October 17. The first of its sort T20 league will be contested by under-19 teams and will feature local as well as international players. The teams will recruit the young players via a draft system.
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