LAHORE: Paying glowing tributes to the legendary figure of Abdul Sattar Edhi who has earned tremendous respect and name throughout the world for his great work for humanity, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) annou­nced on Friday that the official playing kits of the national team will bear the logo of Edhi Foundation on the upcoming tour of England.

The announcement was made in a grand function held here on Friday in which Pakistan captains of all three formats — Misbah-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed — PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, Execu­tive Committee chairman Najam Sethi, chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed and the newly appointed academies director Mudassar Nazar were present.

Saad Edhi, the grandson of Abdul Sattar Edhi, received cheques of Rs500,000 each from the PCB and the Pakistan Super League, besides another cheque of Rs1 million from a leading beverages company.

In his very short speech, Saad said that Pakistan enjoyed good recognition around the world through Edhi Founda­tion and Pakistan cricket, and it was a great occasion that the two institutions had joined hands for the England tour.

He also appealed to the participants to pray for Edhi’s health who is under treatment at a Karachi hospital these days.

Speaking on the occasion, both Shaharyar and Sethi extended their strong support for Edhi’s nomination for the Nobel Prize.

Shaharyar recalled his long and cherished association with Mr Edhi since the time he was High Commissioner in UK.

“We alongwith the Pakistani community then worked hard to raise funds to enable Maulana Edhi’s foundation to purchase helicopters for their services,” said the chairman.

“This is a big and happy occasion for us since the Pakistan team will be displaying Edhi Foundation monogram during the matches in England.”

Sethi also showered praise on Edhi and said he is the most deserving person for the Nobel Prize.

“Abdul Sattar Edhi is the most outstanding personality Pakistan has ever produced and he deserves to get a Nobel Prize for what he has done. This is a very small gesture from the PCB to recognise the tremendous service of Mr Edhi and his foundation,” he said.

Test captain Misbah also expressed pleasure over the PCB for taking that step.

He said whenever anyone listens to the name of PCB it reflects commercial aspects, but after this decision the name of the Pakistan cricket team and the PCB would also get more good image around the world.

He also appealed to the entire nation to pray for Edhi’s early recovery and well-being.

He also thanked Edhi Foundation for providing the chance to the PCB to work with it. Later, all three captains jointly presented the official team shirt to Saad Edhi.

Meanwhile, the PCB also issued a press statement which said: “As part of the arrangement, the Pakistan cricket team will be seen sporting Edhi Foundation’s logo on the playing shirts for the ODI and T20 leg of its upcoming tour of England and Ireland.

“This partnership honours the services of the great humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, inarguably one of the world’s most selfless philanthropists.”

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2016