Azhar Mahmood
The British Asian Trust is delighted to welcome Pakistan and Surrey Cricketer Azhar Mahmood as an official Ambassador of the Trust. As well as being a renowned sporting hero for Pakistanis around the world, Azhar enjoys a fan base which extends across South Asia having also represented cricket teams in Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and the UK, a feat that resonates with the Trust and its work in each of these countries.
Azhar is the first Pakistani cricketer to join a rich vein of British Asian Trust Ambassadors from the world of cricket such as Rahul Dravid, Muttiah Muralitharan, Isa Guha, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Mark Ramprakash. Other high-profile Ambassadors also include comedian Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE, entrepreneur James Caan, actor Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire and BBC Broadcaster Mishal Husain.
The British Asian Trust was founded in 2007 at the suggestion of HRH The Prince of Wales, to make a positive difference to the lives of disadvantaged people across South Asia. Through supporting 30 high impact charities facilitating access to livelihoods, education and health, the Trust has since touched the lives of over one million people. The Trust has a long standing association with cricket having been launched through the Future Friendship Cup between India and Pakistan in July 2007.
Hitan Mehta, Executive Director of The British Asian Trust said “We are delighted to welcome Azhar Mahmood to the British Asian Trust family. He is one of the finest all-round cricketers of his generation, having achieved great success both internationally and at county level here in the UK. Azhar joins as a unique Ambassador having played across South Asia and his support for the Trust’s work will be invaluable.”
Azhar Mahmood said: “Supporting charitable projects has always been important to me wherever I have played, but it is through the British Asian Trust that I am looking forward to getting involved in the very best work being done across South Asia, tackling the most difficult issues, and achieving incredible things.”