Son of gate-keeper Fayyaz dreams big at PCB’s Future11

KARACHI: Fayyaz Hassan hails from a poor family of Karachi. His father works as a gate-keeper, while the mother is a housemaid in the metropolis` area of Naseerabad. But poverty hasn’t dented the fourteen-year old's ambitions rather it has inspired him to do more.

Fayyaz is among hundreds of players who appeared at PEPSI-PCB Future11 Cricket trials on Tuesday at the National Stadium - aiming to get selected and change his family’s fortunes.

“My mother works at different homes, as a housemaid and my father works as chowkidar,” said a confident Fayyaz while talking to geo.tv on sidelines of the cricket trials at National Stadium. “My parents have worked hard to get me a proper education, and I want them to live a proper and relaxed life.”

The student of class 8th in a community school near Azizabad feels that cricket can change his fortune, so he dreams of becoming a top cricketer.

“I want to become a cricketer so that I can take off the burden from my parents’ shoulder and give them a good living. I hope I will get selected,” he said after showcasing his chinaman bowling talent.

Ahmad Azzam is another hardworking boy from Karachi, who has got his teenage occupied with the burden of earning his livelihood.

Azzam works as a waiter at a roadside shop, where he serves “kaleji” to customers, he explains his cricket love by saying that he even practice catching with the plates at the dhaba.

“I am very passionate about cricket. I want to prove that nothing can stop you from achieving your goals,” he said.

The two-day open trials for the Future11 program by PEPSI and PCB provided opportunities to several youngsters like Fayyaz and Ahmad.  Coaches Asim Rizvi and Mohammad Masroor were very impressed with the talents they witnessed on the first day of trials.

“This open trial was an invitation for everyone. So boys from all type of background came and showcased their talents, there are some brilliant boys who’ve never played proper cricket, they just need some proper training,” said Masroor while talking to geo.tv.

“We will pick 10 players from these trials, and they’ll be inducted into regional academy and after training, they’ll be picked for three-day regional tournaments, on basis of their skills,” said Asim Rizvi.

More than one thousand players appeared in trials on the first day of the program, shortlisted players have invited again for the second phase of trials on Wednesday.