Ambitious Ali Asfand wants people to remember him.

PESHAWAR -- Ambitions are critical to achieve the zenith of one's career and 17-year old Ali Asfand has set the target of being remembered as a big gun of the game. The left-arm spinner hails from Faisalabad and is amongst 107 cricketers of the Pathways Program despite facing stiff resistance from his family.

'My family often got furious at me as I used to bunk classes to feature in cricket matches. They tried to force me to leave the game and encouraged me to secure a good future by pursuing my education. But cricket remains my passion and I want people to remember me as one of the stars of the game. Though I am pleased that I navigated my way through all the tough experiences, it would have been better if I had my family's support from day one,' Ali told PCB digital.

Ali Asfand was the leading wicket-taker of National U19 Cup where he claimed 10 wickets while representing Central Punjab Blues U19. He then grabbed 25 wickets in eight red-ball matches in the National U19 Championship.

The 17-year old is delighted with the new PCB initiative that includes a monthly stipend of PKR30,000, free education and coaching by foreign...