ISLAMABAD: The Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) together with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Lahore Qalandars are set to launch an open trial opportunity to unearth cricketing talent across the UK.

The trials aim to attract aspiring amateur players to demonstrate their cricketing skills in front of a selection panel led by Yorkshire’s managing director of cricket Darren Gough alongside representatives from the Yorkshire Cricket coaching team on Oct 1 at Yorkshire’s revamped Park Avenue Bradford Cricket Ground.

Open to men and women over the age of 18, the cricketers who demonstrate the most potential on the trial day will be rewarded with the opportunity to travel to Lahore and train at the Qalandars High Performance Centre (QHPC).

They would get to play and learn at QHPC’s world-class facilities with the additional opportunity to learn from the PSL 2024.

The initiative takes inspiration from the Qalandars’ Players Development Programme (PDP) which has engaged over half a million youngsters across Pakistan since its launch in 2019.

Speaking on the subject, Gough said, “Our inspiration is taken from the partnership we have with Lahore Qalandars and is an exciting moment as we continue to look to the future with the Yorkshire County Cricket Club and continue on our journey to make it a club accessible to all.”

Sameen Rana, the chief operating officer and owner of Lahore Qalandars, said, “Our PDP has been an essential tool for us to discover new talent in Pakistan and opening up the sport to those who previously have not been able to access it. We look forward to working with the Yorkshire club in doing the same in the UK.”

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2023