ISLAMABAD - National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has lauded Pakistani parliamentarians’ cricket team for lifting the 1st Inter-Parliamentary Cricket World Cup played in England and attributed the victory to entire Pakistani nation.
Talking to The Nation, Speaker Asad Qaiser said: “I went all the way to England just to support and buck up my players. I remained with the team throughout the two months of training and I lauded the coaches for their brilliant work with Pakistani parliamentarians’ team, as without their coaching and guidance, the team could never achieve this feat.
“I will not only host a reception in the honour of champions, but also make sure that Prime Minister Imran Khan will invite the champions on their return. Although the national team couldn’t lift the world cup, yet I am very glad that our parliamentarians’ cricket team provided won it for the entire nation,” Asad Qaiser concluded.
Sharing his views, hero of Pakistani parliamentarians’ team and the man of the final, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur said: “By the grace of Almighty, we managed to win the World Cup, a feat which our national team failed to provide to the long-suffering Pakistani nation. I never had fear factor in my life that’s why I played my natural game and succeeded in delivering for my team. “I am very happy that I played sheet anchor role in the team’s title triumph. But I really missed likes of Tendulkar and other top Indian stars in the World Cup. The Indians once again turned their backs and fielded professional squad, as they just wanted to win at any cost, but Almighty is very kind, that’s why they even couldn’t make it to the semi-finals,” he added.
Ali Gandapur said he attributes title victory to great leader and 1992 World Cup winner Imran Khan. “The words of wisdom of PM, his reading of the game and his trust and faith in parliamentarians’ team paid great dividend. He had told us all to play natural game and leave the rest. I kept those words of motivation in my mind and played like a tiger, which helped me as well as the team to win the Parliamentarians World Cup.
“It was wonderful exhibition of team work, superb captaincy, best support and self belief. We played key role in helping us land the title. When we lost the inaugural match against Bangladesh, we never let defeat dictate us rather we forgot the defeat and played with much more involvement. The entire credit of this title win also goes to Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, whose presence motivated and supported us a lot and we achieved this big feat.
“I am grateful to all the expats, who turned up in huge numbers to support us. The final moments would remain always fresh in our memories. We will try to provide same joy again and again, whenever we will be given chance. I am sure the PM will host a reception for the champions. We didn’t take a single penny from national kitty, nor from any private sponsor, rather we spent from our own pockets for the sake of the people of Pakistan,” Ali Gandupur concluded.