Malerkotla youngsters see ray of hope as Hayer set to be PCA secretary

Sports enthusiasts, especially cricket fans, in Malerkotla see a ray of hope for transformation as Member of Parliament Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer is set to be appointed as the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) secretary.

As Hayer is the sole candidate for the post, he is expected to be appointed as secretary. The development will also strengthen the influence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the PCA. Hayer has experience as a former state sports minister.

Shabby Khan, social activist and cricket promoter, said Hayer’s background as a sports minister and his passion for sports are expected to boost cricket development in the state, particularly in Malerkotla.

Malerkotla is part of the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by Hayer.

Khan hailed that Hayer had expedited the process for initiating construction of a stadium in the region earlier and has now assured to focus extra attention on promotion of cricket among youths.

Amjad Ali, another sports promoter and social activist, said sports, especially cricket, played a key role in strengthening communal harmony in the city. “People here are seeing a ray of hope for implementation of their long-pending demand for a cricket academy in the city, and similar training centres at educational institutes in the district,” said Ali.

Asif Ali, a cricket coach, said residents and cricket enthusiasts had special craze for watching matches between India and Pakistan, and they had been stressing on the need of using the game to bridge the gap between the two nations.