The year 2020 was a memorable one for many perspectives but cricket freaks would remember this event for many years as it was completely organized in Pakistan for the first time. Even after the quick spread of COVID-19, the PCB management should be applauded as they have successfully organized the event in Pakistan with all its glitters.After the series win against one of the top ranking South African team, the spirit of Pakistani Cricket team is on a higher note.
People around the world especially Pakistani fans are overwhelmingly waiting for the 6th edition of Pakistan Super League.The fine local talent and overseas players can set 6th edition of PSL on fire. The sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is scheduled to begin from February 20, 2021. All six teams are lined up against each other in the upcoming PSL edition. The opening contest will be played between Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators at National Stadium, Karachi.
Foreign players like Chris Gayle known as Gayle Storm, Faf Du Plessis, Chris Lynn, Rashid Khan, Alex Hales, Chadwick Walton, David Miller known as The Killer Miller, Tom Banton, Dale Steyn are set to showcase their talent during this edition of Pakistan Super League. Fans are super excited to watch their favorite players in action. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, NCOC has only allowed 20% of total spectators to view the game live at stadium.
Naya Nazimabad, which has surely emerge as one of the place where you would easily find green, clean and healthy environment. Located at the border of District Central and around thickly populated area where cricket is seems to be the only game playing by all age group at all places even in TV Lounges. The cricket stadium of Naya Nazimabad is one of the place where cricketers are so much enthusiastic to play cricket on a well laid square of multiple pitches with all top of the line facilities like floodlights, scoreboard, third umpire facility, outdoor practice pitches with nets and an international standard dressing room. The state-of-the-art stadium is constructed as per international standards and is at par with cricket stadiums around the world.
The ambiance around Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium, which is surrounded by green mountains at one side and other side is equipped with state-of-the-art Naya Nazimabad Gymkhana building having seating arrangement of 20,000 spectators. The 20,000-capacity stadium is also able to hold day-night matches with an international standard of floodlights installed at the stadium.
Various tournaments has already been organized at this ground including the famous floodlight Ramazan Cricket Tournament every year during the month of Ramazan to support and encourage the emerging youngsters playing with renowned Pakistani players. 16 teams of different departments/region and a team from Afghanistan have been playing in the tournament. Since, the stadium is only a few kilometers away from the most happening Nazimabad, North Nazimabad and F. B. Area, a good crowd turns up to witness the exciting T20 contests. The matches were broadcasted on Sports Channels. Knockout matches were honored by Governor Sindh, Chief Minister Sindh, Federal and Provincial Ministers, Mayor, Commissioners and famous businessmen and famous cricketers. All the dignitaries and guest, who visited during Ramazan Tournament, also paid a visit to Naya Nazimabad project. They all appreciated the project design, quality of construction, parks, green areas and overall environment of the Naya Nazimabad project.
Since the beginning of PSL, Naya Nazimabad, being Home Ground Partner of Karachi Kings arranges a send-off ceremony in order to motivate team members of Karachi Kings. Last year, Quetta Gladiators team and management were also invited to the send off ceremony and they were also mesmerized by the development carried out in Naya Nazimabad. The management of Lahore Qalandars also paid visit to Naya Nazimabad Cricket stadium where they wished to start their training camps and talent hunt program at this venue.
Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium always supported talent hunt and training program and camps for young legs. One of the initiative was ‘Karachi KeShehzade’ at Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium. The tournament was comprises of five teams, comprising of shortlisted young player for PSL contest. Each team was led by renowned celebrity ambassadors Humayun Saeed, Waseem Badami, Kashif Abbasi, Faysal Qureshi and Iqrar-ul-Hassan.
Another initiative is Khiladi Ki Khoj, Talent Hunt Program, was conducted to bring out the hidden talent of the players in interior Sindh and provide them a chance to seize an opportunity by showing their cricket skills. Having successful talent hunt in 8 cities, the final trial and selection session was organized on Naya Nazimabad Cricket Ground where several cricket experts alongside the senior management including Rashid Latif conducted selection for PSL 2018.
Naya Nazimabad Cricket Ground has hosted Pakistan Veteran Cup matches every year. The Talent Hunt program ‘Kriket Superstar’, a coaching-cum-TV reality program, invited four prominent foreign ex-Test cricketers Sir Andy Roberts, Jonty Rhodes, Damien Martyn and Danny Morrison — as judges to oversee the final phase of a coaching camp. All these past legends carried out different skills program with the young guns of local Pakistani talent where they were so much inspired with these players. The young pace battery Nasim Shah was also the find of that camp.
Keeping in view the current scenario of the pandemic, we are still not sure regarding the change of its form and elimination of disease; accordingly, bio bubble is very necessary to keep cricket teams relatively isolated from the outside world so as to greatly minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection or related infection. To serve this purpose, Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium is an ideal venture where hotel with 5 star facilities would be available with the ground along with state-of-the-art Gymkhana, jogging tracks, swimming pools, other sports facility and four exclusive restaurants having all range of foods from BBQ to Continental.
A well decorated luxurious hotel suits along with different sets of sports facilities at one place would be the blessing for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management to stage international events at this beautiful ground which has all its essence to become the most beautiful international cricket ground. PSL management should arrange PSL matches at this vary ground so that people would get rid of frustration usually arise during the international matches at National Stadium due to high security and traffic jams. Addition of this facility would surely become a mark of pride for the Pakistani nation.