LAHORE - Deaf cricket teams from Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka on Monday arrived here to take part in the Asia Cup Deaf Cricket Championship being played here at the various venues of the city from tomorrow (December 12).
All the three visiting teams were accorded warm welcome on their arrival by the office bearers of Pakistan Deaf Cricket Association led by their president Irfan Miraj and manger PDCA Zaheer udin Babar.
“It is a historic moment for Pakistan deaf cricket that the Asia Cup will be played here and we anticipate thrilling cricket in coming day. We have finalized all the arrangements for hosting the event in a befitting manner,” he said.
He said all the participating teams including hosts Pakistan were fully prepared to exhibit good quality cricket for the entertainment of the lovers of the game.
“This event will further promote cricket among deaf in Pakistan besides portraying a soft image of Pakistan as a safe venue for staging international cricket events for special cricketers,” he added.
Zaheer said the matches would be played at LCCA and Bagh-e-Jinnah grounds with the final to be played at Gaddafi Stadium on December 17. “If Gaddafi Stadium will not be available then we will be holding the final at Bagh-e-Jinnah ground,” he said.
The PDCA official said top security was being provided to all the foreign teams. “The matches will be of 50-overs-a-side and we anticipate good crowds at all the venues. Two matches will be played daily.”
The opening ceremony of the cup will be held today (Tuesday) here at Punjab Stadium and MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif will be the chief guest at the occasion.
“We arranged country-wide trials and the best available talent was picked to gel it with experience and we are fully confident that our team is going to produce a outstanding show to live up to the expectations,” he concluded.