At least 12,000 students from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government schools have appeared in cricket trials for the selection of teams that will take part in Zalmi School Cricket League to be played later this year.

“Massive number of students from 25,000 government schools of the KPK took part in the trials, which showed their passion for cricket and their aim to be part of Zalmi teams”, said a spokesman of Peshawar Zalmi.

The first phase of the Zalmi School Cricket League was completed last year in December and the event was named after the martyrs of Army Public school, Peshawar.

According to the spokesman, the trials were held under a combined project of Peshawar Zalmi Foundation, Elementary and Secondary Education Department, KPK, to promote cricket among school students. “Through trials we have selected teams of Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat, Hazara and MalaKand while teams team of Peshawar and Mardan will soon be named”, he added.

The spokesman said that through the league, new talent will be identified that would serve Pakistan cricket in due course of time. “We shortlisted a number of talented cricketers from the first phase of our school league and we are confident to find a pool of players from our coming event”, said the spokesman.

He further said that Zalmi School Cricket League is a big step forward to expand and strengthen the base of the game and to secure the future of cricket. "That time is not far when we will be providing ‘finished products’ to serve Pakistan cricket in years to come,” he said.