Talented U19 cricketers of Karachi reached TMC Cricket Ground today to give trials of the Nelson Mandela Talent Hunt Program.
Hundreds of budding cricketers, with a dream of bright future, appeared in the trials on the first day.
Under the supervision of selectors Shadab Kabir, Asim Kamal, Tahir Khan, Ahmer Saeed and Mohtashim Rasheed, aspiring cricketers proved their mettle in batting, bowling, and wicketkeeping.
"I am surprised to see such a massive response from the youngsters of Karachi," said Tahir Khan, a former first-class cricketer, while speaking to GeoSuper.tv on the sidelines of trials.
"We have found so much talent here. These players are putting in every effort to get selected. There are some really good batters, spinners, and fast bowlers. We will try to do selection on merit," he added.
As many as 80 cricketers will be selected during three-day trials which conclude on June 12. Later on, four teams will be made for a three-day tournament. Players, who will impress selectors during the tournament, will make their way to the 16-member team who will fly to South Africa later this year.
"Today is the first day and you can see the response. The competition is tough, I hope we could do justice to the players. It's a great initiative taken by South Africa's High Commission to Pakistan. I hope the best possible players get a chance to train in the tough conditions of South Africa," Khan concluded.
It must be noted here that former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and Test cricketer Fawad Alam are the mentors of the trials.
Muzamil Asif