Entrenched in our culture and spirit, Cricket has always been the most beloved sport of our nation. Being a country that is quite polarised on numerous social and political issues, cricket is the one thing that unifies its people.
During the pandemic when sporting events have also been much lower in number, the introduction of new leagues and teams is what keeps the spirits of our cricket-loving nation alive. It is, therefore no surprise that the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) is a delightful addition to the circle of sports that Pakistan hosts.
To further delve into the goals, hopes, and plans for KPL, ProPakistani sat down with Adil Waheed, CEO & Co-owner of Mirpur Royals for a lighthearted yet insightful conversation. Adil comes from a manufacturing business background and is an avid polo player himself. His passion for sports, especially cricket, is what drives him.
Here is how the conversation unfolded.
How did you end up with Kashmir Premier League and owning the Mirpur Royals team?
I have always been into sports, cricket particularly has been a passion. I was always keen to play cricket whenever I got a chance. When I came to know about KPL, it instantly got my attention. Primarily the reason behind my interest was the word ‘Kashmir’ in the name of the league. Being a Pakistani, I wanted to play my role in any capacity to contribute my humble efforts for the cause of Kashmir and also to support Kashmiris.
KPL provided me this opportunity and I ended up obtaining the ownership of Mirpur Royals. I feel immensely proud to represent this great platform and bring this amazing opportunity to our Kashmiri youth to showcase their talent.
How do you think promoting Kashmir in cricket will create a great positive image of Pakistan and its cause towards Kashmir?
Kashmir’s cause is a global cause. Pakistan has been the voice of Kashmiris at all forums around the world including the United Nations platform.
KPL will definitely be a very effective way to create awareness about Kashmir, its people, and the unlimited natural, biological and cultural features that attract tourists from all over the world. Cricket is played and watched in half of the world and there could be no better platform to promote Kashmiri youth and cricketers internationally than cricket.
Do you have plans for promoting cricketers at the national or international level? After KPL, should we expect Kashmiri players or Mirpur Royals players to get a chance to play international cricket or in other T20 leagues?
Right now, all my focus is on the first edition of KPL and my team. Definitely, the primary objective of Mirpur Royals is to identify talent from Kashmir and develop them to be able to take part in other national and international competitions.
After the conclusion of the first edition of KPL, our management will formulate a strategy and plan for future activities related to talent hunt and players’ grooming.
How much support did you get from ICC, PCB, the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and other stakeholders?
All the stakeholders including the ICC, PCB, Government of AJ&K have been very supportive right from the beginning. We are thankful to all the departments, organizations, and sponsors for their unlimited support and guidance.
How will you describe your team and selected players?
As you can see, we have picked Shoaib Malik as the iconic player for our team. Shoaib is rated among the top players of T20 and that is why he is a part of the majority of T20 leagues worldwide.
His experience would be very helpful for all the young players on the team. Also, we have hard-hitting players and world-class, fast bowlers. The emerging players will definitely learn from them during the competition.
Your message to the government regarding the promotion of sports in Kashmir?
The slogan of KPL “Khelo Azadi Se” is the answer to your question. This is a very strong slogan that depicts the difficulties and challenges faced by the people of Kashmir and shows the true meaning of Azadi. My message is to continue with similar events and introduce more sports so that the youth can get the opportunity to show their potential and talent in all sports.
As a patriotic Pakistani and the CEO of the Mirpur Royals team, I feel immensely proud to represent this great platform and bring this amazing opportunity to our Kashmiri youth to showcase their talent. Kashmiris are very passionate about cricket, and I’m happy to announce that we have 5 Kashmiri players in each time of KPL this year!
We also have a few overseas Kashmiri players playing. We give preference to Kashmiri talent for the gold category of KPL to promote Kashmir and to represent Kashmir across the nation.
We hope by taking this step we will highlight the name of our country in the whole world, and show the world how peace-loving and patriotic Kashmiris are. I’m excited to see my team fight like royals kyun kay #TajKaRaj hoga!
