LAHORE  -   Peshawar Zalmi and Haier Pakistan have maintained their reliable and winning partnership and signed an MoU for main title sponsorship for Peshawar Zalmi for the 4th edition of Pakistan Super League being played from February14 in United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan.

Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) most valued franchise in terms of media and brand, Peshawar Zalmi signed the MoU at an impressive ceremony held here at a local hotel. Peshawar Zalmi chairman Javed Afridi and Haier Pakistan Senior Director Li Da Peng signed the MoU here on Wednesday. Also present on the occasion were Peshawar Zalmi players Kamran Akmal and Umaid Asif.

Javed Afridi and Li Da Peng expressed their happiness on the signing and said that the partnership between Haier Pakistan and Peshawar Zalmi will strengthen in future and it will benefit Pakistan cricket too along Peshawar Zalmi. Haier Pakistan also got the highest mileage among all the sponsors of HBL PSL and garnered a media valuation of $3.7 million across the four media platforms and celebrity endorsements.

The Zalmi chairman said that Haier Pakistan did a great part in past in promotion of cricket in the country and he is grateful for their tremendous support for Pakistan sports and Peshawar Zalmi. He said he has a multi-dimensional vision, which focuses on generating more and more cricket activities from the platform of Peshawar Zalmi besides speeding up efforts to play due role in the fields of education and sports.

“We are doing it for our country and to contribute in the national duty. We are not just focusing on cricket only we are lending support to hockey which is our national sports and needs immediate attention for its revival.”

Javed called upon the need for introducing a transparent system in Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to ensure that funds being provided to them were being spent in the right direction purely on the development of the game. “We will soon reveal our ambitious plan to spend resources in the field of education and health as they are the two most neglected fields in the country and the future of our country heavily depends on improvement and progress of these fields,” he said.

He said star-studded Peshawalr Zalmi will perform to a higher level in the Pakistan Super League and its players will live up to the expectations by giving their best form and performance in the mega event.

Kamran Akmal and Umaid Asif also spoke on the occasion and reiterated their pledge to support Peshawar Zalmi by putting up their best in the PSL.

CEO Haier Li Da Peng said: “Haier and Peshawar Zalmi are two brands that complement each other. Both have objectives and aims that are aligned in the same direction, and together we can help each other achieve those aims. Peshawar Zalmi is the biggest sports entity in Pakistan and it is a great feeling to partner with them once again.”

Kamran Akmal said that the efforts of Haier in promoting cricket and also recently hockey is commendable. “We are thankful that an international brand like Haier is doing the best for the people of Pakistan and promoting the entities that matters the most to the people.

Fast bowling sensation Umaid Asif said that it is a great feeling to have Haier once again into the Yellow Storm. “We hope that this partnership does much more for cricket at the grass root level.” Peshawar Zalmi will face Quetta Gladiators in their first match of the HBL PSL in Dubai on February 15, 2019.