Sammy to get Pakistan’s highest civilian award, citizenship

KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi has announced citizenship and the highest civilian award for Peshawar Zalmi’s skipper Darren Sammy in recognition of his services for the revival of international cricket in the country.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) tweeted on Saturday that the president would confer the highest civilian award on Darren Sammy on March 23 for his invaluable contribution to cricket in Pakistan.

“Sammy’s services are unforgettable. Citizenship and the highest civil award is an honour for both Sammy and Peshawar Zalmi,” said Zalmi’s owner Javed Afridi, who had on February 19 during a joint news conference here at the National Stadium, requested the PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani to ask President for citizenship for Sammy.

A Zalmi spokesman said that for the PSL-II final the entire Zalmi squad came to Lahore under the leadership of Sammy. The spokesman said that Sammy lives in the heart of Pakistan’s fans through his Pushto and Urdu tweets.

During his last few visits Sammy was seen every time paying tribute to the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah by paying visit to his tomb here.

Sammy the the other day in a news conference said that he deeply loves Pakistan and has always helped the country’s cricket. Sammy was the first foreign player out of 36 playing in the PSL-5 to arrived here.