Saudi Premier League launched in Jeddah

Jeddah: Jeddah Cricket Association (JCA) hosted a sprawling function to honor the visiting legendary Indian cricketer Arshad Ayub, who was on a short visit to the Kingdom to perform Umrah.

The function was also marked the launching of Saudi Premier League (SPL), the first of its kind within the Arabian Peninsula with Saudi Arabia being the first preferred choice. The function was graced by the chief-guest Arshad Ayub and also by Mohammed Khaleequr Rahman an active community leader who heads many socio organizations back home in India that include; “Youth Against Speed”.

In his introduction address of the Chief Guest Arshad Ayub the JCA Vice President Engr. Aijaz Ahmed Khan detailed the contributions of Arshad Ayub of his cricketing carrier of the test and one day Internationals and his participation for the school, college, university and different age group for the national & international levels for so called gentlemen’s game of cricket within India and abroad. Khan said, Ayub being a professional Engineer, Master in Business Administration (MBA) and an academician also holds the prestigious post of President of “Hyderabad Cricket Association” (HCA), he was the manager of Indian National Cricket team for the recently concluded world cup and also runs his own “Arshad Ayub Cricket Academy” for the promotion of cricket in all its forms, under 14, 16, 19 and under 22, thus mastering himself with the game coupled with lots of administrative expertise that would certainly lead him to be in international cricket boards that includes; BCCI and ICC as well in the future.

In this keynote address, the JCA Chairman Dr. Faiz Al Abideen thanked the Almighty and wished all the attendees a very happy and blessed Ramadan. Dr. Faiz also had special thanks for the chief guests of the evening Arshad Ayub, Khaleequr Rahman and for all the other distinguished guests. He said JCA is proud to create cricketing history in the Kingdom by launching this proposed Saudi Premier League (SPL), one of its kinds in the whole Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make the game of cricket popular among the local Saudis.

He further added: “JCA is committed to take cricket in the Kingdom to the highest levels and is ready to work with all likeminded organizations/individuals for the development of cricket in the Kingdom”.

While extending a customary welcome, JCA President Mohammad Iqbal thanked the chief guest, sponsors, and members of the press, captains, umpires and other guests on behalf of JCA. He further briefed the audience about the Saudi Premier League and its inception; he said the main idea of holding SPL was entirely the brainchild of a prominent JCA executive committee member Haroon Abdullah Bin Mahfooz on whose behest this event is going to organized with the support of all the executive committee members.

Sharing the dais the Chief-Guest Arshad Ayub expressed his sentiments with a pledge to support JCA in whatever capacity that may be needed. Addressing the gathering with his brief message, Ayub advised JCA to improve its standards, he said: “The entire infrastructure and the sporting fields should be within the parameters of the globally recognized body in order to uphold the spirit of the game with all its norms, ethical values and principles, thus qualifying itself for the future international team”. Arshad Ayub informed that he observed the hard work render by the JCA committee since more than three decades for the promotion of the game of cricket in the deserts of Saudi Arabia is a remarkable contribution and it will materialize for the establishing the game of cricket in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The campaigner of the “Youth Against Speed” Mohammed Khaleequr Rahman echoed his passion for JCA for promoting the subcontinent’s crazy game of cricket within Saudi Arabia. He said: “Though I have not been directly associated with the game of cricketl, but indirectly associated myself to the zeal of international cricketing tournaments, I come from a family wherein for many years the national captaincy of the game was rested in the hands of my brother-in-law Mohammed Azharuddin the well known and the most successful skipper India has ever produced”.

Recalling his past agony, Rahman said the unfortunate incident of his young lad and also the son of Azharuddin who were involved in a tragic disaster that took their lives on a pretty craziness of speeding the motorbike for youthful stunts. “This dreadful incident have motivated me to undertake a crusade for “Youth Against Speed” so as to emphasize the importance of safe driving and the need to protect the future young-guns from such misfortunes”, Rahman remarked.

During the felicitation function, the chief guest was presented with a beautiful memento and a shawl by the well-wishers of JCA Mirza Qudrath Nawaz Baig and Syed Rafath Shah respectively. Cake-cutting ceremony was also observed for the launch of SPL.

CAPTIONS:

L to R Humayun Farooq, Dr. Faiz Al Abideen, Arshad Ayub, Mohammad Iqbal, Mohd Afzal