Saudi Arabia will soon set up a cricket academy in Jeddah.
"We are setting up a cricket academy with three turf wickets in Jeddah. Former Indian wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani will be providing us the assistance," revealed Nadeem A Nadwi, the Development Manager of the Saudi Cricket Centre to Gulf News yesterday.
"We have received financial assistance from the Asian Cricket Council and we are all set to start the academy. Moreover, we are also in the process of taking over a vacant football stadium and converting it for cricket.
"We have approached Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board for technical support," added Nadwi.
"Ever since the Princess Ghada Bint Hamoud Bin Abdul Aziz took over as the patron of Saudi Cricket Centre, the game has received a big boost.
"All the regional associations have been brought under one body. Today, nearly 128 teams play cricket regularly," said Nadwi.
"Our focus has been to spread the game at the schools level. We regularly organise Under-11, Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 tournaments. The interesting aspect is that now many Saudi nationals are coming forward to play the game," remarked Ghouse Mohiuddin, the team coach.
Saudi Arabia is also planning to stage an international festival match comprising former cricketers from India and Pakistan.
"We will be staging such a match in six months mainly to popularise the game in our country. Saudi Arabia is a vast nation and the distance between each region is nearly 1,500 miles.
"This makes co-ordination very difficult. We are planning to bring out a cricket quiz quarterly magazine in schools to spread the game," said Nadwi.
