Sammy to receive Pakistan’s highest civilian award, honourary citizenship

Peshawar Zalmi captain Darren Sammy will receive the highest civilian award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, and honourary citizenship of Pakistan on March 23 for his invaluable contribution to cricket in Pakistan.

The aforementioned news was confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on their official Twitter account.

President of Pakistan Dr @ArifAlvi will confer the highest civilian award and honourary citizenship to Darren Sammy on 23 March for his invaluable contribution to cricket in Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/mn9AiLknB0

— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) February 22, 2020

Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi, during the press conference along with other Pakistan Super League (PSL) owners on Wednesday, had revealed that he has requested for the honorary citizenship of Pakistan to be conferred to his franchise's skipper Sammy.

"We have requested for the honorary citizenship of Pakistan for Darren Sammy. The application is currently at President's table," Afridi said. “I request the PCB chairman to put in a good word for Sammy, so it can be approved. Sammy’s voice notes were too emotional for Pakistan when PCB was trying to hold the PSL season 2 final in Lahore.”

However, the veteran all-rounder after hearing about Afridi’s announcement had said that he doesn’t need a passport to love Pakistan.

“For me love is in the heart. It is an action and a feeling. For me whether I have a passport or not, I think my contribution to this country is all from within. I don’t need a passport to associate myself with this country,” Sammy said. “It is not just me but all of the guys that have come here and showed there support, be it the World XI or other teams, have played a massive role in bringing back international cricket to Pakistan.”