KOLKATA: Imran Khan will make a return of sorts to cricket – as mentor to Peshawar Zalmi. Franchise owner Javed Afridi says the former great will “provide vision” to the Shahid Afridi-led team.

“Mr Imran Khan has signed on as a mentor to the team. We are extremely pleased with the association of Peshawar Zalmi with him,” Afridi told this correspondent over email.

“Who has not heard of the great Mr Khan, he is perhaps the greatest cricketer to have come out of not only Pakistan, but is one of the greatest of all time worldwide.”

In a way, it is only fitting that the man who inspired a generation of young Pakistanis with the country’s sole World Cup title in the 50-over format is also associated with a team that has made “youth” its byword.

Afridi dwells on this fact as well. “Zalmi stands for the ‘youth’ of our land, and who better to have to look up to as a mentor than the real life super cricket hero Mr Imran Khan himself?”

Politics and sports

However, Afridi brushed aside suggestions that a political message could be read into Imran Khan’s association with his franchise, saying the affiliation was “a purely cricketing matter”.

Afridi said the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is a great role model for aspiring athletes, and “his record and value as a sportsperson is unmatched”.

“Imran Khan much before he was one of the leading politicians in the country was a cricketer that has served this nation to the best of his immense capabilities,” he said.

“There is no political association here,” Afridi asserted. “Those who think of it that way will do a disservice to both Mr Imran Khan’s great cricketing legacy and insight, as well as the vision and intention behind this move by the Peshawar Zalmi.”

Imran Khan’s role

The franchise owner also downplayed the fact that Imran Khan has never played T20, or that he is not even actively in touch with cricket. As such, his efficacy remains suspect.

“He is of course a very busy personality,” Afridi said. “But where ever he will be able to provide insight to the team as well as a vision for the Zalmis we will take it on board.”

Afridi argues, “[not] playing T20 cricket is not really important” in Imran Khan’s case. In his view, Pakistan’s only World Cup winning skipper in ODIs “knows the game like no other in Pakistan”.

“His fearless, competitive and visionary approach is what we really want to benefit from,” said Afridi, when asked specifically what exactly he expected to extract from Imran.

“As a mentor he will act as an overall guide to cricketing affairs and can really help the younger boys in our team develop into the stars of tomorrow.”

Good luck, Wasim

Afridi declined to make a comparison with Wasim Akram’s role as Director Cricket at Islamabad United.

Akram, a member of Imran Khan’s world-beating side in 1992, may be more effective as he is in touch with cricket, and is even the bowling coach of Kolkata Knight Riders.

“Wasim Akram is a great in his own right and I wish him and his team best of luck,” Afridi said, adding he was great fan of Akram as well.

But this is not a competition between the two cricket legends, nor should it be seen or perceived as one, he said. “Both are greats in their own rights, and I am sure will bring great value and insight to both the respective teams.”

In fact, Afridi said, what the board had done was to utilise “such greats and their services” in the interest of Pakistani cricket.

“It is a landmark step, and we should be thankful.”