Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has made an exciting proposal to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He suggests creating a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise called “Pindi Express.” This team would represent Rawalpindi, a city closely linked to his cricketing legacy. Akhtar expressed this idea during a recent conversation about the ongoing PSL season.
Akhtar is famously known as the “Rawalpindi Express” for holding the record for the fastest delivery in international cricket. He believes that naming a franchise after his nickname would honor both his career and the cricketing history of Rawalpindi. “The city breathes cricket,” he stated, emphasizing the wealth of talent the region has produced over the years.
Akhtar highlighted the impressive fast bowlers from Rawalpindi, like Mohammad Wasim and Haris Rauf, as reasons for his proposal. He insisted that Rawalpindi deserves its own PSL team. Furthermore, he encouraged support for the hashtag “Pindi Express” to bring more attention to this idea. He described Rawalpindi as the “city of princes,” full of remarkable talent.
The PSL is considering expanding with the addition of new teams in its upcoming 11th edition. Salman Naseer, the Chief Operating Officer of PSL, announced that plans might include two new franchises. He mentioned that bringing cricket back to traditional centers is important, but now it’s time to extend beyond the main cities. If Akhtar’s proposal gets accepted, it could bring Rawalpindi back into the spotlight in a significant way.