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From Sangla Hill to U19 WC in South Africa – Ahmed Hassan’s journey of beating the odds
Lahore, 11 January 2024:
Batting all-rounder, Ahmed Hassan hails from Sangla Hill, a tehsil of district Nankana Sahib. Ahmed’s love for the game took him to Faisalabad, Sheikhupura and Lahore regularly for training and playing matches as no substantial opportunities were available.
Early on, his father believed the game revolved around a lot of luck and asked him to focus more on his studies than cricket. It took him some time to win his father’s support, who is now recognised in the whole town as the father of the talented teenager representing Pakistan U19 at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in South Africa. He also credits his uncle and brother for the much-needed support in the formative years of his career.
Ahmed Hassan told PCB Digital: “I’m incredibly thankful to the almighty for this opportunity to represent Pakistan U19 and I’m eager to do well whenever presented with an opportunity to play. I’ve worked really hard to get here and I want to make the most of this chance. The coaches have given us plans and helped us train well in the camp and hopefully, we’ll be rewarded.”
Ahmed remembers how he used three different modes of transport to commute to the bigger cricket centres to seek mentorship. He used to train with former Test cricketer Mohammad Salman at his academy in Faisalabad.
“He has taught me a lot and on the mental front, he helped me prepare for the challenges very well. I used to memorise some of the drills in MS academy and then replicate them on days spent in my hometown in Sangla Hill,” Ahmed added. “He conducted drills and training sessions for me before I joined the World Cup preparation camp at NCA.”
Talking about the pre-departure camp at NCA, Ahmed stated, “We have received valuable guidance from our support staff keeping in mind the South African conditions. All the training sessions are diverse. We have prepared for swing and bounce in exclusive sessions. I’m content with our preparations for the World Cup.”