SWA Scouts opens cricket academy

The South Waziristan Scouts on Wednesday opened a cricket academy at Wana Sports Complex to train youth and explore their cricket ability and promote sports activities. Commandant SWA Scouts Colonel Ijaz inaugurated the academy at a ribbon-cutting ceremony where a large number of cricket players, tribal elders and officials of political administration were present.
The Colonel said that the academy aimed at to create a professional environment for players and explore hidden talent in the agency. Around 60 players are registered on the first day of inauguration who would be trained by four coaches. The coaches would offer an integrated cricket development programme to polish skills of the players to enable them to find a place in the national cricket team.
Officials at the political administration said that the academy would be run by Sports wing of the administration. Meanwhile, cricket players from different areas of the district Charsadda on Wednesday staged a protest outside district sport office for not allowing them to play at Prang Cricket Stadium. The protesters blocked road and thrown traffic out of gear at Bacha Khan Chowk and chanted slogans against the district administration for stopping them to play at the stadium.
They said that they were barred from practice and playing cricket tournaments at the stadium, adding that the district sports department has also withhold sports funds. Abid Ali, a team coach, told media persons that players had got themselves registered on directions of the sports department. "After registration, the department stopped the players from using dressing room and now they barred us to playing at the stadium despite all of us have registration cards and deposit monthly fee," he added.
They demanded of the provincial government to take notice of the ban and allow them play at the ground. District Sports Officer Saleem Raza rejected all allegations and said that Coach Abid has occupied several rooms at the stadium that were vacated. He said that there was no ban on other players and said they could go use the dressing room and play at the ground. The Deputy Commissioner Muntazir Shah few days ago sealed those room that were occupied allegedly by the coach on public complaints.