LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has announced $100,000 cash award for each player if the Pakistan cricket team wins the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 scheduled to be played in West Indies and the USA next month.
The PCB chief visited the Gaddafi Stadium – where the green shirts are preparing for the Ireland series – to meet players and interact with them before they depart for the T20 World Cup. He stayed with the team for two hours and, later, hosted a luncheon for the cricket team and officials at a local hotel, said the PCB spokesperson here on Sunday.
Pakistan Men’s cricket team is due to leave for Ireland and England T20Is series on May 7 (Tuesday) and will fly to New York for the ICC T20I World Cup from England.
“The prize money is of no value when compared with win in the world cup,” Mohsin Naqvi said, expressing the hope that the green shirts would play fearless cricket and raise their country’s flag. Urging them to exhibit team-work in the field, the PCB chief asked cricketers to play for Pakistan, adding that “success would be yours if you play as one unit. Giver your best on the cricket pitch. Give a good fight to the opposition. Victory will be yours and loss mine,” Naqvi said.
Talking to Shaeen Shah Afridi, he said: “Shaheen will produce his best in the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup”, adding that the nation had high hopes from the ace fast bowler and he must come up to their expectations.
The PCB chief also presented specially designed green shirts to wicket keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan and fast bowlers Naseem Shah for reaching individual milestones in the T20I cricket. Mohammad Rizwan completed his 3000 runs while Naseem Shah bagged 100 wickets in the T20Is for Pakistan.
National Men’s cricket selectors Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Yousaf, Captain Babar Azam, Head Coach (Ireland T20I series) former all-rounder Azher Mehmood and Director international cricket Usman Wahla were also present.
