Former Pakistani captain-turned-politician Imran Khan has reportedly launched a scheme to scout cricketing talent in the troubled northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in a bid to bolster anti-terrorism efforts and help Pakistan win the 50-over World Cup again.
Tehreek-e-Insaaf, the political party of Khan, who led Pakistan to their only 50-over World Cup win in Australia in 1992, emerged as the third biggest force in last year's elections and formed a provincial government in the Khyber-Paktunkhwa province, which is plagued by frequent bombings by Taliban militants.
According to Sport24, under the talent hunt scheme, eight teams will be selected throughout the province and the selected players will be recommended to Pakistan's national selectors, and Khan said that he hoped finding new talent in the region could help Pakistan win the World Cup once more.
Khan, who is a vocal advocate on holding talks with the Taliban, also said that he hopes and prays that peace is restored in every part including the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) where a lot of cricket talent needs to be unearthed.
Khan revealed that he was himself unearthed by a talent hunt scheme 40 years ago, adding that when he launched the first scheme in Karachi 20 years ago, they unearthed all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who still plays limited overs cricket for Pakistan.
