Javed Afridi, while talking to DawnNews in Dubai, said on Wednesday that the government needs to come up with a plan to take all sports forward in Pakistan.

"The government needs to come up with a plan, looking at least 5 to 10 years ahead, and then involve all stakeholders to come up with ways for implementation," he said, adding that the plan should include all sports and not just cricket.

"This is not about one team or one franchise, it is about bringing life back to our stadiums and grounds," he added.

Talking about Peshawar Zalmi's progress as a franchise, Afridi said, "The franchise's case history is different than any other's. We had an ongoing talent-hunt programme since January 2016, since before the first season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL)."

"The hunt took us to every small region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhuwa, and for a province that has been fighting terrorism for over 20 years, that meant a lot," he said, adding that the franchise has found fresh talent from all over the province.

Regarding the PSL final, to be held in Lahore, Afridi said that it is great that cricket is returning to Pakistan and that he "would try his best to get international players, even ones that are not playing the final, to come to Pakistan to watch the final."

Afridi was one of the first franchise owners to endorse the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to hold the PSL final in Lahore.