LAHORE, Oct 17 (APP):The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, on Thursday afternoon visited the Pakistan Cricket Board’s state-of-the-art National Cricket Academy in the first-ever visit to the home of Pakistan cricket by any
British royal.
The royal couple was received by the PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani and Chief Executive Wasim Khan. They spent around 60 minutes at a venue that has a proud history of producing some of the modern-day stars of cricket.
Prince William and Kate Middleton participated in a cricket match that also
featured former Pakistan captain and ICC Cricket Hall of Famer Waqar Younis,
Test batsman Azhar Ali, fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi, former
women’s captain and chair of national women’s selection committee Urooj
Mumtaz, and star all-rounder Sana Mir, as well as Dosti participants.
The royal guests demonstrated their skills in batting and enjoyed the
game.
The royal couple later met with the cricketers and signed the Visitors Book.
Chairman PCB Ehsan Mani, in his speech said: “Your Royal Highnesses, on
behalf of all the young girls and boys, and the Pakistan Cricket Board, I
would like to thank you for joining us here at the National Cricket Academy
today.
“This is a very special day for the children who have got the opportunity to
meet and play with you. This is something they will never forget. I thank
you for this wonderful gesture,” he said adding “We are grateful to the
British Council for this Dosti initiative, which has been so well supported
by the British High Commission, and we are delighted that the Pakistan
Cricket Board is part of it.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton,
on the fourth day of their tour of Pakistan, arrived the provincial capital.
The royal visit comes 13 years since Prince Charles and his wife
Camilla – the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwell – toured the
country in 2006. It was in 1996 when late Princess Diana visited Pakistan
and still vividly remembers the late Princess Diana’s visit in 1996.