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Faiz Al-Najdi
It was a rare moment for all especially the kids to cross path with the
star cricketer Shahid Khan Afridi aka: Boom Boom Afridi. The occasion
was reception by Royal Academy of Cricket (RAC)-Riyadh in his honor.
AlKhozama Banquet Hall was packed to capacity with young and old, men
and women, and of course the small kids – from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan,
India and Bangladesh – all in anxious wait to have a close glimpse of
this cricket icon of today.
Wow – after a wait of a couple of hours entered the great hero of
cricket – and all rose on their feet with the loud bangs of Boom Boom
Afridi – to welcome him and to have a close look at him.
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Royal Academy of Cricket (aka: RAC) is a entity of dedicated individuals
with a mission to promoting cricket in Saudi Arabia. Recently RAC has
launched a talent hunt program whereby they are in a mission of
head-hunting of talented young cricketers. RAC would be providing them
with adequate coaching in order to groom, train and ready them for
competitive matches in Saudi Arabia and abroad. Visit to Riyadh of
Shahid Afridi can be seen in the same backdrop. His presence amongst the
young cricketers is bound to boost their moral and elevate their
confidence. The young selected cricketers would have the opportunity to
benefit from his experience and knowledge of cricket and would be
motivated to follow in the footsteps of this great cricketer.
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Prof. Dr. Mujahid Khan Kaimkhani – Media Manager of RAC – took to the
dais and invited Shahid Afridi to take his seat on the stage. Other
select few cricketing luminaries in Riyadh were also invited to take
their respective seats on the stage namely, Qadir Mirza (Saudi Fransi
Bank), Samir (Saudi Cricket Council – SCC), Rana Hamid (SCC), Dr. Aamir
Tarar (RAC), Zahid Raza Khan (Embassy of Pakistan), Ahsan Rizvi (RAC),
Mamoor Elahi (Riyadh Cricket League – RCL), Jawad Al-Khalifa (RCL), and
Nadeem Babar of Riyadh Cricket Association aka: RCA.
The program began with recitation of verses form Holy Quran by Salman
Siddiqui – Operations Manager of RAC who later also anchored some
segments of this event. Prof. Dr. Mujahid first of all welcomed the
Chief Guest of the event – Shahid Afridi – to the city of Riyadh. He
said it was a historic and momentous moment that Shahid Afridi was
amongst his fans in Riyadh. He requested all, especially the excited
small kids to demonstrate discipline by keeping seated so the event
could progress in a nice manner. He then invited speakers – one by one –
to express their feelings for Shahid Afridi and the event.
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Qadir Mirza of Saudi Fransi Bank came to the podium and requested the
audience to give standing ovation to this cricketing hero. The audience
responded and gave a thumping welcome to him. He described Afridi as a
great cricketer who has the records of the fastest 50 and fastest 100
under his belt which remain unbeatable so far. He requested all to
extend all support to Afridi in his mission to build a hospital for the
poor and the disadvantaged in his native place of Jerma – a small
village on Peshawar-Kohat road. Jawad Al-Khalifa – of RCL and a
supporter of cricket in Riyadh – thanked RAC for inviting him and
assured Afridi of all his support in his noble mission. Ahsan Rizvi –
Coach and Development Manager of RAC – said SCC has started this talent
hunt of young cricketers which is the first of its kind in a non-cricket
playing nation. He appreciated Afridi for his time and useful advice
that he rendered to the young cricketers during the coaching event
organized by RAC. Mubashar Kiyani – Director Operations of RAC – said
RAC would continue with full vigor its mission of talent hunt. Hamid
Rana – of SCC – presented a brief introduction of SCC and mentioned that
it was like a dream come true that the talent hunt program has kicked
off. He added that more than 100 young cricketers have been selected who
be coached and readied for playing matches inside Saudi Arabia and at
stations abroad.
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When the Chief Guest Shahid Afridi of the event was invited to deliver
his speech the audience burst into sustained clapping with standing
ovation one more time. The young ones couldn’t control themselves and
almost all of them jumped to take a close berth near the stage. Clapping
continued unabated for quite sometimes and Prof. Dr. Mujhaid had to
intervene and make an earnest request to all to halt it so Afridi could
speak. Star cricketer Afridi began by thanking RAC for inviting him and
providing him an opportunity to be able to be with his fans and admirers
in Riyadh. He congratulated SCC for promoting cricket in the Kingdom –
without the help of any sponsor and sans any other support whatsoever.
He mentioned in his opinion there was cricket talent here amongst the
youth however due to absence of any infrastructural facility here the
hidden talent was not able to be unearthed. He appreciated the efforts
of both SCC and RAC for taking up this mission of talent hunt. “This
honest endeavor of yours would bear fruit”, he added. He also made an
earnest appeal to all the cricket associations in the Kingdom to shun
politics and work as one entity – for the cause of cricket. “The
talented cricketers should be given chance on merit alone”, he added.
Finally he mentioned that he has a mission to build a decent hospital
for the poor in his native place. “I plan to accomplish this project
with my own resources however I would welcome and appreciate if
individuals or organizations would come forward and extend help to me in
my mission”, he said. Prof. Dr. Mujahid then mentioned that RAC
appreciates the works of the individuals who have rendered services for
the community and in appreciations of their services RAC now awards
memento shields to the,. Amongst huge clapping from the audience shields
of appreciations were awarded to the following: Khaled Al-Maeena, Qadir
Mirza, Faiz Al-Najdi, Nadeem Nadvi, Abdul Karim Khan, Mamoor Elahi,
Patterson, Jaffer, Tariq Javed, and Ms. Asma Tariq, Javed Shamim, Prof.
Javed Iqbal, Shahzad Alam Siddiqui, Dr. Zafar Elahi, Jawad Al-Khalifa,
Javed Munawwar, Rana Abdul Rauf, Prof. Sultan Ayub Meo, Prof. Ali Al-Tuwaijri,
Tariq Mehboob Mir, Aalee Al-Otaibi, and Ms, Neha Azyz.
After this award ceremony, Salman Siddiqui (Operations Manager RAC)
thanked the sponsors for their support in making this event a success,
namely, Saudi Fransi Bank, NAS Air, Knowledge Core Academy, and Global
Mentor Technologies. At end of the event the young kids and girls all
thronged on the stage and lined up for group photo with the star
cricketer Afridi who happily posed before the camera for each one of
them. The event concluded with sumptuous dinner consisting of mouth
watering and lip smacking Desi and Arabic culinary cuisines.
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