Pakistan captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan are enjoying their time at Harvard University, sharing their excitement with their supporters after arriving at the famous school.
The cricketing duo has joined Harvard Business School’s executive education programme on the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports (BEMS), which they enrolled in last month.
While concentrating on their studies, Babar and Rizwan are constantly networking and making contacts within their new alma mater, forming acquaintances along the way.
This time, Babar has hinted at “joining” another sport while posing with fellow Harvardians and an instructor at the elite institution.
“With champions like @francis_ngannou, @USMAN84kg, and @jaboowins pledging to play cricket, perhaps it’s time for @iMRizwanPak and I to try something else.” Thoughts?”
When champions like @francis_ngannou, @USMAN84kg and @jaboowins vouching to play cricket, may be it is time for @iMRizwanPak and I to join another sports. Thoughts?
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) June 5, 2023pic.twitter.com/zK0boCq7OI
The two cricketers were seen taking a photo with Lineal MMA Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou, Nigerian-American mixed martial artist Kamaru Usman, and American football quarterback Jameis Winston, implying that the three athletes were “vouching to play cricket” and leaving him and Rizwan to pursue other sports.
Rizwan’s photograph with his teacher had gone viral the day before. In the shot, the wicketkeeper-batter was presenting her with a copy of the Holy Quran.
His charitable deed won many netizens who praised Rizwan for “spreading Islam.”
Going to Harvard
Babar and Rizwan were the first cricketers to be admitted to the famous school. They will be a part of the programme from May 31 to June 3. Following the programme, the duo will engage with various communities in the United States until June 13.
“It is an enormous honour to represent Pakistan on such a prestigious international stage.” We are attending the BEMS programme at Harvard to learn from the finest of the best in the world — both faculty and programme fellows — while also sharing our journey and learnings with everyone. “I am confident that this will be an exciting journey, and I look forward to sharing our knowledge and experiences with the next generation of cricket superstars,” Rizwan stated a few days ago.
Meanwhile, Babar also echoed similar thoughts.
“I am a lifelong learner, and I have discussed this programme in depth with Prof. Elberse and [Talha] Rehmani.” My motivation for enrolling in this world-class curriculum at Harvard is to connect, explore, listen, learn, grow, and give back to the global community. I am confident that the incredible athletes and top business executives from the entertainment, media, and sports industries who are coming from all over the world will teach us a lot.”
This course has previously been taken by footballers Kaka, Edwin van der Sar, Gerard Pique, Oliver Kahn, NFL’s Brandon Marshall, NBA’s Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, and Major League Baseball’s Alex Rodriguez.
