ISLAMABAD - Mobilink Jazz has become the first local brand which would be the official Pakistan cricket team sponsor in the series against Sri Lanka, Mobilink before this had already sponsored four Pakistan series in UAE and England but all those were Pakistan's home ties while this would be the first away series which is going to be sponsored by Mobilink.
Mobilink Vice President Marketing Jahanzeb Taj said this in a press conference here at a local hotel on Wednesday. PCB COO Subhan Ahmed and Director Operations International Cricket Intikhab Alam were also present on the occasion.
“Mobilink has a long partnership with cricket and are also the official cellular partners PCB and had launched a hero hunt programme in collaboration with the board some eight years ago and from those kids, seven are currently representing the national side,” he said.
He said this was the fourth time when Mobilink was the title sponsor of Pakistan's international series. “We want to support Pakistan cricket in these hard times when not a single international team is ready to tour Pakistan. By supporting Pakistan team, we are sure we will soon be able to attract and bring back international cricket to Pakistan,” Jahanzeb concluded.
PCB COO Subhan Ahmed thanked Mobilink for their unconditional support to the PCB which helped them a lot in these hard times to continue their journey to success. “Jazz had been at the forefront of promoting cricket in Pakistan. Previously they helped us in strengthening domestic cricket infrastructure as well as developing future stars. It has also undertaken an initiative to include cricket stars as part of its marketing campaigns and 10 members of national cricket team had already signed as brand ambassadors which are a good omen for national cricket,” he said.
To a query regarding Bangladesh tour to Pakistan and after the hopes are almost over regarding their tour and had their any follow ups regarding Bangladesh High Court decision whether the BCB had appealed against the ban imposed on their tour to Pakistan, Subhan said: “We are in close contact with the BCB and they wanted some documents from us which we have dully provided. Now they are going to file a review petition and they will keep informing us on any updates and we also keeping our options open regarding other teams and revival of international cricket in Pakistan. But we can't disclose the names at this stage due to security reasons but good news in this regard will be announced soon.”
Replying a question regarding Pakistan's home series against Australia and the selection of venues for the series, Subhan said: “We are working on three venues i.e. Zimbabwe, UAE and Malaysia. We have already formed a committee and we will finalize the venue within 10 days but we have to keep a lot of things in mind before finalising the venue.”
When asked about the possibility of completion of international ground in capital in one-year time looks almost impossible as almost a month completed since the signing of deal between PCB and CDA, he replied: “The PCB and CDA are fast finalising things as it is a very mega event and there are some certain issues regarding cutting of forest and other minor things but I am sure we will soon overcame all these things and once work stared it would not take much time in completion.”