Cricket: Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed hails PSL victory

Kamran Akmal was the key player for Peshawar as he scored 353 run in 11 innings..

Peshawar Zalmi emerged champions of the Pakistan Super League 2017 and the force behind it is the soft-spoken Javed Afridi. According to the owner, Peshawar Zalmi is not just a cricket team, they are the ambassadors of the frontiers.
It was an uphill task to bring foreign players in Pakistan to play the final of Pakistan Super League in Lahore.
The PSL management was criticised for taking this hasty decision to announce that the final will be held in Lahore.
But Javed was confident his players will be travelling to Pakistan.
While talking to Khaleej Times after the final in Lahore, Javed said: "I am proud of my players because as soon as I asked them to go with us to Pakistan, they were ready. I even asked them that they should travel to Pakistan in case Peshawar Zalmi fail to reach the final, just to witness the match and the answer was yes.
"I thank foreign players Darren Sammy, Dawid Malan, Marlin Samuel, Chris Jordan who represented Quetta Gladiators in the final."
Javed said that cricket is a passion for him and he is trying his best to use this medium in a productive way.
"Ours is the area most effected by terrorism and whenever I go out there and ask the youth to play cricket they speak of the problems they are facing. I want to bring youth towards the game and use their energies in a positive manner."
Peshawar Zalmi is using cricket as the gateway to bring happiness among the masses. They have got a huge following as their fans turned turn out in big numbers in Dubai and Sharjah and there was no exception in Lahore. Almost 60-70 per cent fans were rooting for Peshawar Zalmi at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday night.
"It is my mission to spread happiness among the people through cricket. I brought 150 students from Terror-hit Army Public School Peshawar to watch the match live in the stadium in Dubai during the first PSL.
"This year we have brought cancer patients from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital and it is just a small effort to make those people happy.
"We will take this trophy to APS Peshawar to celebrate our victory with them. It might provide a little bit healing to the wounds of the terror-affected students and officials.
"It will be a big moment for me to be among them with the winners' trophy. I thank Almighty God for fulfilling my wish."
liaqat@khaleejtimes.com