Dubai Sports City has today announced that International Cricket Council Academy’s (ICC Academy) Head of Cricket Development, Mudassar Nazar will join the Pakistan Cricket Board as Director of Academies, effective immediately.
Since the inception of the ICC Academy in 2009, Nazar has been at the forefront of the Academy’s development and his work with Senior Management has made the ICC Academy the world’s leading cricket development, performance and education institution. During his tenure Nazar has also had the opportunity to coach thousands of students, who have gone from strength to strength, at the world-class, high performance facilities at Dubai Sports City, which now includes the newly opened PowerBase gym and Cricket Cage.
Commenting on his new role Mudassar Nazar said: “Throughout my earliest days as an athlete to my time at the ICC Academy and Dubai Sports City, the sport of cricket and its sporting family has had a profound effect on my life.
The opportunities I have had through being the ICC Academy’s Head of Cricket Development and utilising its world-class facilities to be able to coach and educate some of cricket’s best junior and senior athletes has ultimately brought me to this new role as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Director of Academies. I would like to thank Dubai Sports City and the ICC Academy for their continued support and the outstanding contribution they have made to the development of cricket. I have no doubt the Academy, its coaches and staff will continue the sterling work we have already managed to achieve. I now look forward to contributing to and giving back to Pakistan Cricket which has given me so much.”
With the assistance of ICC Academy and Dubai Sports City staff, Nazar has seen the launch of The Warriors, a training programme dedicated to supporting young players, aged between 13 – 18 years’ old, that are hungry to learn all elements of the game. He has also overseen the introduction of the Junior Warriors, as well as Cricket Cubs and The ICC Academy Schools programme.
Nazar has played a vital role in The ICC Academy Schools programme, which brings the very best of cricket coaching to more than 15 schools across Dubai. The Schools programme has also allowed students to test their skills against other school teams as far and wide as the UK, Nepal, Kenya and Sri Lanka.
Congratulating Mudassar on his appointment Khalid Al Zarooni, President of Dubai Sports City said: “We are extremely proud that Mudassar has been appointed to join the Pakistan Cricket Board as their Director of Academies which will enable him to train and develop national talent.
Throughout his years at the International Cricket Council Academy, Mudassar has worked tirelessly to support the ICC Academy, its staff and students and we wish him all the very best in his new role.”
“Through the ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City has always played an active role in supporting the development and high performance of cricket and we are delighted that Mudassar will now have the opportunity to make an even greater impact on the development of the sport. We look forward to building on the strong base he has put in place.”
Speaking about the announcement Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mr Shaharyar M. Khan said: “I am pleased to have Mudassar on board to work with us as Director of Academies. Mudassar brings a wealth of experience in this role. I am particularly thankful to the ICC Academy and Dubai Sports City (DSC) for allowing Mudassar to work with us. Our association with DSC is time tested and Mudassar's immediate release by DSC on our request is a demonstration of our cooperation."
The ICC Academy is led by internationally renowned coaches and with its world-class facilities is the ideal place for individuals and team to hone their cricketing skills.