Today, the Pakistan Cricket Board officially announced the Pakistan Junior League Mentors. Daren Sammy, Javed Miandad, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Imran thair, Colin Munro, and Sir Vivian Richerds will serve as the mentors of the first Pakistan Junior League, which will take place in Lahore on 6 October of this year. The league mentor will be Miandad, who participated in six World Cups between 1975 and 1996 the team mentors will be Afridi, Sammy, and Shoaib.
The four legends have combined for six major world championships, 1,559 international games, 43,057 runs, and 992 wickets. When the yellow team at the Gaddafi Stadium triumphed in the HBL Pakistan Super League in 2017, Sammy and Shahid Afridi were teammates on the Peshawar Zalmi squad.
Pakistan Junior League 2022 (PJL) Mentors
As the tournament’s overall mentor, Javed Miandad will support the mentors of the six teams and the players.
In the lead-up to and during the Pakistan Junior League, which will be played at the tail end of the Pakistan versus England T20I, which is scheduled to end on October 15, Afridi, Sammy, and Shoaib will be in the team dugouts. Pjl Drafting will be on 6 September 2022 in Lahore.
The four well-known individuals will serve as event ambassadors in addition to their roles as team mentors, using their celebrity status, appeal, and knowledge to spread the word about this groundbreaking event.
In due course, three additional team mentors will be revealed.
Ramiz Raja, chairman of the PCB, expressed his delight at the recruitment of Shoaib Malik, Javed Miandad, Daren Sammy, and Shahid Afridi as mentors for the Pakistan Junior League. Their participation in the Pakistan Junior League will assist us in achieving one of our event goals, which is to assist the next generation of cricketers in developing a champion and match-winning mindset.
The participation of the four icons further demonstrates that we are on track to deliver an event that will benefit Pakistan cricket in numerous ways. We are dedicated to developing new properties, and Pakistan Junior League is an event in that direction, in addition to creating a winning environment and fostering the teens’ abilities and temperament.
List of PJL Mentors
Javed Miandad (Mentor’s Head)
Javed Miandad said “I, always enjoyed being a part of the coaching staff, and this opportunity gives me the chance to get back on the field, work with players who have higher goals, and support them in achieving excellence.
I am excited to be a part of the Pakistan Junior League because it is such an innovative and exciting product. I also think this league will change the game.
Daren Sammy (Hyderabad’s Mentor)
“I am grateful to have been given the chance to participate in the first Pakistan Junior League. I wholeheartedly support the idea and think it will help in identifying and advancing exceptional cricket players.
“I have been a part of the Pakistan cricket system since 2016, and I have been blown away by some of the incredible local talents I have seen. I now look forward to working more closely with the teenagers, sharing my knowledge with them, and assisting them in realizing their ambitions to play cricket professionally.
Shahid Afridi (Mardan’s Mentor)
Shahid Khan Afridi said “I, strongly believe in making investments for the future. If T20 cricket is a means of advancing cricket and spotting young talent, then we must create opportunities and think of creative ways to discover untapped talent and make sure that their abilities and efforts are appropriately recognized and rewarded.
It will be new for me to serve as a mentor to a group of teenagers. I am incredibly excited and am looking forward to contributing in some small way to the success of these talented and spirited cricket players. Flashing, in my opinion, only occurs between the ages of 13 and 19, after which it’s amicably man-management.
“I have no doubt that this tournament will be able to identify, at least, six cricketers who can be nurtured and developed into stars, who can then go on to shoulder the expectations and hopes of millions of cricket fans and followers,” the author said.
Shoaib Malik (Gujranwala’s Mentor)
“I feel fortunate and honored to have been given the chance to work as a mentor with one of the Pakistan Junior League teams,” said Shoaib Malik. I can attest to the value and importance of this competition because I was an age-group cricket player when I debuted in the 1998 U19 World Cup.
“I believe the Pakistan Junior League, along with 50-over and three-day cricket for the teen cricketers, fits very well in the PCB domestic cricket schedule. T20 cricket, which is currently the most well-liked and alluring format, will not only wrap up the season but also possibly produce three-dimensional players who can show they have what it takes to accept and excel in the game’s shortest format.
Franchise cricket always pushes players to their limits, so it’s even better than their abilities will be fully tested, advancing the best players in their careers. I am confident that Pakistan Junior League will serve as the foundation of our efforts to once again establish ourselves as a force to be reckoned with in all formats.
The top four teams in each division will advance to the playoffs in the Pakistan Junior League, which will be played on a single league basis. The top two teams will compete in the qualifier, and the victor advances to the championship match. The losing team will be given a second chance to advance to the final when it plays the winner of the match between the third and fourth-ranked teams in Eliminator 1.
Imran Tahir (Bahawalpur’s Mentor)
Imran Tahir, a Pakistan-born South African leg spinner who is currently living in South Africa, is set to become a team mentor for the Pakistan Junior League (PJL).
In addition, according to sources, PCB has also secured the services of Imran Tahir for the role of team mentor for a fee of $45,000. In Pakistani rupees, this amount amounts to more than one crore rupees.
Imran Tahir is a native of Lahore. The 43-year-old spinner, who moved to South Africa in search of a better future for his family, has had the privilege of representing the Proteas in 20 Tests, 107 One-Day Internationals, and 38 Twenty20 Internationals.
The last time he played an international match was in 2019. He is regularly participating in franchise leagues.
As for PCB, it is currently considering a broadcast revenue sharing agreement with state television for PJL, and there is expected to be a final decision in this regard soon.
Colin Munro (Rawalpindi)
Colin Munro said “I am excited to be part of the inaugural Pakistan Junior League, which I believe will be a game-changer for Pakistan cricket. Investing in youngsters, securing the future of the game, and ensuring the national side continues to move in an upward direction should be the objectives of all administrators and I think the PCB has taken a lead here by launching this tournament, which will expose the young talent to the rigors and demands of top-level cricket and help Pakistan in the long run”
“Working with youngsters, sharing knowledge, and helping them grow in their careers is something that interests and excites me, and I am really looking forward to being a part of the Pakistan Junior League. Having seen firsthand experienced the tremendous talent at the HBL Pakistan Super League, I have no doubts the Pakistan Junior league will produce future champions of world cricket,” he added.
Sir Vivian Richards (Gawader’s Mentor)
Sir Vivian Richards said “I am absolutely thrilled at reuniting with my mate Javed Miandad at the Pakistan Junior League with whom I cherish some great memories from our playing days. Miandad was a fighter and a tough competitor, and it will be lovely to be working alongside him at the Pakistan Junior League, which is an exciting and innovative concept.
“During my playing days, I always admired the talent Pakistan produced and this belief strengthened during my time with Quetta Gladiators at the HBL Pakistan Super League. The PCB has gone one step further by introducing age-group franchise cricket, which will help in further nurturing and developing outstanding talent.
