TORONTO: The Canadian police national cricket team will embark on a 15-day tour of Pakistan from January 17 to January 31.

During the tour, the team will play matches. The majority of the team consists of Canadian police officers of Pakistani, Indian and Sri Lankan descent.

The team will play eight friendly matches against the provincial police teams of Sindh and Punjab in Karachi and Lahore. Additionally, matches are scheduled with Sindh Rangers and Islamabad Police as part of this goodwill visit.

The announcement was made by Mansoor Ahmed, President of the Canadian Police Cricket Club and a Pakistani-origin officer in the Toronto Police, along with Chief Executive of the CPCC Amir Shamsi, in the presence of Pakistan’s Consul General Khalil Bajwa. Consul General Bajwa warmly welcomed the tour and assured full cooperation.

Amir Shamsi, Chief Executive of the Canadian Police Cricket Club, which was established in 2020, revealed in an interview with The News that the team comprises police officers from various Canadian cities, with the majority being of Asian origin. This includes officers of Pakistani, Indian, and Sri Lankan heritage. Shamsi emphasized that the goodwill tour would offer their Indian-origin, Sri Lankan-origin, and other teammates a unique opportunity to understand and experience Pakistan.

The Canadian police cricket team will play four matches in Karachi, including games against Sindh Police, Karachi Gymkhana and Sindh Rangers.

In Lahore, they will face Punjab Police in two matches and Lahore Gymkhana in one.

The final match will be played in Islamabad against the Islamabad Police team.

During its 15-day stay, the team will also engage in meetings with Pakistani cricket authorities and officials to foster goodwill and further the promotion of cricket between Canada and Pakistan. This cricket exchange will mark the first-ever such interaction between the Canadian Police and Pakistani Police teams.