National cricketers back Pakistan Premier Hockey League ‘The Max’
LAHORE: Domestic cricketers including Shahid Afridi, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan and Fawad Alam have extended their support to the newly announced Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) franchise league, The Max.
The country’s first hockey franchise league, which was announced by recently ousted PHF president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar at a press conference on June 30, received overwhelming support from domestic cricketers, who turned to Twitter to support the idea. , also calling it a “national duty”.
Former Pakistan captain and star all-rounder Afridi expressed his delight at the efforts being made to reinvigorate hockey through The Max.
“It’s great to see the revival of hockey with [The Max] league. We all need to get involved and support our national game that has given us such a glorious history!
” Afridi tweeted.
Great to see the revival of hockey with #the maximum league. We all need to get involved and support our national game that has given us such a glorious history! #MeriNationalDuty https://t.co/x21kN5EuHo
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 7, 2022
Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, winner of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy, also backed The Max’s announcement, saying in his tweet that the franchise league would play a key role in the revival of national sport.
“It gives me great joy to see that our National Sport is now commercialized [through] a franchise league [The Max]. It will help revive hockey and add strength to make this sport more sustainable,” Sarfaraz tweeted.
It gives me great joy to see that our National Sport is now marketed through a franchise league. @themaxpk . It will help revive hockey and add strength to make the sport more sustainable. Congratulations @PHFofficial#the maximum #PHF #MeriNationalDuty
— Sarfaraz Ahmed (@SarfarazA_54) July 5, 2022
The vice-captain of the national Test cricket team, Mohammad Rizwan, on the other hand, stated in his tweet that as a player, he believes it is his national duty to play his part in developing the national game.
“Desire [Pakistan Hockey Federation] all the best for [The Max] Pakistan First Hockey League. As a Pakistani athlete, I feel that playing a role in the advancement of the national sport is Meri National Duty,” said Rizwan.
Desire @PHFofficial all the best for #the maximum Pakistan First Hockey League. As a Pakistani athlete, I believe that playing a role in the progress of the national sport is #MeriNationalDuty. 🇵🇰 🏑 @themaxpk https://t.co/LSCHQgjRjj
— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) July 4, 2022
Meanwhile, Test cricketer Fawad Alam also supported the major hockey league and praised the PHF initiative, although he also called it good news.
“Great news from [PHF] at the launch of [The Max]. Looking forward to seeing hockey glory again,” Fawad tweeted.
good news from @phfofficial at the launch of #the maximum. Looking forward to seeing glory again in hockey. #PakistanHockey Federation #TheBluePoint pic.twitter.com/56XbFquRBc
— Fawad Alam (@iamfawadalam25) July 5, 2022
It is pertinent to mention here that the league will initially feature five teams including Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and Islamabad.
READ: PSB to appoint ad-hoc committee after firing top PHF officials
