The nationwide PMYP cricket trials led by Lahore Qalandars in partnership with the Higher Education Commission reached their final stop in Skardu, marking the end of a multi-week talent hunt that touched every province and remote valley. The programme put the focus on local cricketing cultures from Balochistan and Sindh to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, giving young players from cities and far-flung districts an unprecedented platform.
Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the trials drew large turnouts in Kohat, Abbottabad and Peshawar, with further legs in Mardan, Swat and Muzaffarabad before moving into Gilgit and Skardu. Organisers said the PMYP Qalandars initiative aimed to bring underserved youth into structured talent pathways, offering coaching, exposure and clear steps toward advanced camps and potential national selection.
Atif Naeem Rana, CEO and owner of Lahore Qalandars, praised the initiative as transformative, saying it discovered hidden talent while providing belief and direction to young athletes. He thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PMYP Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and the HEC for their support, noting that the trials proved talent knows no geographic limits and reinforced national unity through sport.
Participants in Skardu and other venues expressed gratitude and renewed ambition, with many describing the experience as empowering and a real opportunity to chase professional dreams. Coaches reported high levels of discipline and raw ability among both boys and girls, and several selected youths now qualify for follow-up camps and specialised training.
Organisers indicated that follow-up academies, scholarships and regional cricket infrastructure are being planned to sustain momentum and convert early promise into long-term development. With the PMYP Qalandars programme planting seeds across Pakistan, officials and communities are hopeful the initiative will strengthen the country’s cricketing future and open international opportunities for the next generation.
