Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi calls Darren Sammy 'face of PSL'

KARACHI: Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi has named former West Indies captain Darren Sammy as the "face of PSL," also saying that the player's contribution for the T20 league "is unmatched".

Sammy, who represents Peshawar Zalmi, was the first player to arrive in Pakistan ahead of the fifth edition of PSL and termed Pakistan as his second home.

Afridi said that Sammy is not just the face of the league but also the most cherished foreign player in the PSL.

"His contribution for the PSL and for Pakistan cricket is unmatched. I believe he’s the face of our league and the most cherished overseas player as well. We are privileged to have him with us once again," Afridi told Geo.

He expressed his delight at having entire PSL in Pakistan and hoped that soon Peshawar and Quetta will be hosting the tournament matches as well.

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He added that PSL is a product that "we have seen growing up from a baby to a child."

"This is its first full season in our lovely country and we are all eagerly looking forward to seeing how it pans out," he said.

" I’m very confident that next year both Peshawar and Quetta will host the home matches. Our entire country is peaceful and we do not need to prove that to anyone now," Afridi said. ‬

Answering a question, Afridi said that all franchisees have worked hard, adding that it’s difficult to pick a winner at this point. He hoped that his side Zalmi will be one of the finalists.

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"We have a very well balanced squad once again and I’m very pleased with all our picks. Mohammad Akram and the rest of our staff have all done an exceptional job in picking the right players to do the job for us and I fully back them to win us the title once again. ‬Each and every player in our squad is a gem and very much capable of turning the match on its head on any given day. We have a fine blend of youth and experience," he said. ‬

"All franchises are working hard and I’m fond of all of them. We are all working for a common goal and that is to promote a positive image of Pakistan to a wider audience through sports. We are all in this together," he said.