Darren Sammy to be given honorary citizenship on March 23, says PCB

E-Paper | October 01, 2026

Darren Sammy to be given honorary citizenship on March 23, says PCB

Dawn.com Published February 22, 2020

Darren Sammy is currently in Pakistan to participate in the Pakistan Super League 2020, where he is playing for Peshwar Zalmi. — Photo courtesy PCB Media Department Twitter

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West Indian star and captain of Peshawar Zalmi, Darren Sammy, will be given the highest civil award — Nishan-e-Pakistan — and honorary citizenship of Pakistan by President Arif Alvi on March 23, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday.

In a tweet, the PCB's media department announced that citizenship will be conferred on Sammy for his "invaluable contribution to cricket in Pakistan".

Sammy is currently in Pakistan to participate in the Pakistan Super League 2020, where he is leading Peshawar Zalmi.

On February 19, the team's owner Javed Afridi had said the franchise had put in a request to the president to grant the Zalmi skipper honorary citizenship of Pakistan and requested PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani to pursue it personally so that the application is approved.

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on Mar 22, 2015 at 11:21am PDT

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Keshav

Feb 22, 2020 12:23pm

Laughable!!

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Dinomite

Feb 22, 2020 12:24pm

Bye bye IPL

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Abdul Nasir Mughal

Feb 22, 2020 12:26pm

Very good gesture from Pakistan. Salute Darrel Sammy Khan Saheb. You are in the hearts of 220 million brave Pakistanis. Pakistanis are famous for their frienship. Live Long Pakistan. Darrel Sammy Khan Zindabad.Pakhair Raghlay

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Pak lover

Feb 22, 2020 12:35pm

well done PCB.

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Nadeemghuman

Feb 22, 2020 12:37pm

He deserves and more of a Pakistani then the most.

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Deepak

Feb 22, 2020 12:52pm

Dear Pakistani friends Pls check the list of Nishan-e-Pakistan, awardees. And count, how many of them are Pakistanis

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M. Saeed

Feb 22, 2020 12:57pm

A welcome initiative to honor Pakistan Zindabad demonstrated by a practical foreigner well wisher..

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Fastrack

Feb 22, 2020 12:57pm

@Keshav, This much hate? Incurable and lethal.

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Kashmiri

Feb 22, 2020 01:02pm

@Keshav, what exactly is laughable ??

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Shahid

Feb 22, 2020 01:14pm

Does it has to be the "highest" civil award. Awards must be awarded with proportionality in the thoughts. Sami deserves an award and honorary citizenship, no doubt about that.

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Parvina

Feb 22, 2020 01:19pm

When the conversation process will start

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A. ALI

Feb 22, 2020 01:20pm

Why nishan e Pak ?.

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LoneWolf

Feb 22, 2020 01:22pm

Let's see how can travel around the globe with a green passport without being grilled wherever he goes.

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Faraz-Canada

Feb 22, 2020 01:29pm

@Keshav, ouch that burned: )

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Neutral Indian

Feb 22, 2020 01:31pm

Congrats to Sammy on winning Nissan-e-Pakistan and best wishes for growth of cricket in Pakistan!

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Feb 22, 2020 01:34pm

Welcome to the green-shirts club and the exclusive green clubhouse. As always, keep it up and hang on tough.

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Amit Mistry

Feb 22, 2020 01:39pm

@Dinomite , With only 5 foreign cricket players.

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ABDUL MAJEED SHEIKH

Feb 22, 2020 01:40pm

@Keshav, You Indian have to come out from anti Pakistan phobia we are happy in our state of affairs you keep enjoy your

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CrisDan

Feb 22, 2020 01:46pm

Very nice.

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CrisDan

Feb 22, 2020 01:46pm

@Keshav, why so?

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Johnpauljonesljones

Feb 22, 2020 01:56pm

Welcome home Brother.

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Captain.Raheel

Feb 22, 2020 02:14pm

Excellent gesture

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Atif

Feb 22, 2020 02:22pm

@Keshav, Indian hatred in flames.

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Salman

Feb 22, 2020 02:32pm

@Keshav, Jealous Indian spotted.

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Tallat

Feb 22, 2020 02:40pm

Look Pakistanis have big heart

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Tallat

Feb 22, 2020 02:41pm

@Keshav, that’s what I am doing on your burning remarks

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Adnan

Feb 22, 2020 02:45pm

@Keshav: You're probably from India and you're right, it is laughable. Especially because Pakistan's neighbouring country is stripping their own citizens of their nationality, and Pakistan is doing the exact opposite.

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B Brosnan

Feb 22, 2020 02:46pm

@Keshav, Feels like an Indian voice - totally irrelevant; by the way!

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Sheraz Ali

Feb 22, 2020 02:48pm

@Keshav, only jealous can laugh on this.

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Zak

Feb 22, 2020 03:00pm

@Keshav, 'Laughable!! Only for the jealous. While India tries to exclude its own minority citizens, we welcome foreigners into our country. What a stark difference the world is seeing.

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Narayanan

Feb 22, 2020 03:20pm

Nice gesture. Sammy deserves it

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A shah

Feb 22, 2020 03:33pm

What a joke

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Neo

Feb 22, 2020 03:38pm

@Keshav, you don't seem to understand the context of this. Darren Sammy embraced Pakistan and Pak cricket whe many turned their backs. With a smile on his face, he has become like an ambassador for Pakistan and its cricket. People in Pakistan love their cricket and love Darren Sammy. He is a symbol of hope which has been realised and achieved with the return of cricket to Pakistan. Its hard to find a similar story in world cricket. Congratulations Mr Sammy and thank you.

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Taimoor khan

Feb 22, 2020 03:44pm

@Keshav, we honour those who contribute towards Pakistan, while India is a laughing stock of the world.

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T Singh

Feb 22, 2020 04:16pm

@Keshav, You guys are the biggest joke

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Mak

Feb 22, 2020 04:23pm

@Keshav, keep burning !!!

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Ehtifal

Feb 22, 2020 04:58pm

Honorary Pakistani citizenship seems to come cheap and easy . Yes Sami has entertained across the last few PSL series and he has helped to promote a positive image of Pakistan via the PSL franchise/brand. All in the spirit of a commercial exchange ofcourse. But does this really call for citizenship to be granted to someone. Sammy plays a dozen country leagues all around the world in an annual calendar and indirectly promotes those country leagues also on the basis of participation. Doesn't mean that all countries countries go around granting him citizenship.

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medu

Feb 22, 2020 05:32pm

@Keshav, Yes laughable how India is denying citizenship to its own citizens under a goon type hindu government with a false label of democracy.

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Gokul N

Feb 22, 2020 05:40pm

The last thing that Sammy wants

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Kashif

Feb 22, 2020 05:49pm

What a nice gesture! Highly appreciated.

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Kashif

Feb 22, 2020 05:52pm

@Keshav, coming from an Indian at this time makes it very ironic. Look at the Kashmir prison and CAA mess.

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MakeMyTrip

Feb 22, 2020 05:56pm

@Dinomite , when it is about PSL, why talk about IPL

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Feb 22, 2020 05:56pm

I think he deserves it, truly and genuinely loved by the people and fans of KHPAL TEAM!.. congratulations

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Khurshid Haider

Feb 22, 2020 06:02pm

Religious freedom for Muslims, Christians and Sikhs in India? Forget it!

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Siddharth chandigarh

Feb 22, 2020 06:23pm

Why not also give him pakistani citizenship. In last year more than six month he spent his days in pakistan.

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shahid

Feb 22, 2020 06:43pm

@Keshav, just like Trumps visit to Modi's Gujarat this week.

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Ned

Feb 22, 2020 06:44pm

@Keshav, sounds more like you are envious

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Feb 22, 2020 06:45pm

Why?

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Morning Star

Feb 22, 2020 06:46pm

@Keshav, only Pakistani can understand the value of this gesture. Not a outsider like you.

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Khurram

Feb 22, 2020 07:03pm

Give him nishan-e-pakistan which he will take. Citizenship I doubt.

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Nilesh Sinha

Feb 22, 2020 07:08pm

It is all nice to appreciate the efforts and the share of work put in by Sammy to bring back cricket to Pakistan.. but isn't it a bit too much to confer him with the highest civilian award. I'm pretty sure that it has been a combined effort of numerous individuals to rightly get cricket back to Pakistan.

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Justice for All

Feb 22, 2020 07:17pm

@Keshav, you will not understand, dear neighbour. And we don’t care

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TruthMatters

Feb 22, 2020 07:39pm

@Keshav, Why not troll your own websites? What’s laughable is India’s standing in the world starting with its ‘ ridiculous’ claim of being world’s biggest ‘democracy’ of all things when it’s really an autocracy, at best.

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Raj

Feb 22, 2020 07:50pm

What about Saina Mirza?

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Zak

Feb 22, 2020 08:00pm

@Keshav, 'Laughable!! " I laugh, because I don't know what's going on....".

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Dr Vikas Jamwal

Feb 22, 2020 08:21pm

May I ask what is his contribution to the West Indies cricket which at the lowest ebb.

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vorshal

Feb 22, 2020 08:42pm

Great opportunities await him now. Would he settle down in this country of great potential?

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Anas Iqbal

Feb 22, 2020 09:31pm

Amazing Great step by cricket organizers Thank you Darrel

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Alijimmyarbab

Feb 22, 2020 09:55pm

Honorary citizenship for what reason?

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Moosa Al Athar

Feb 22, 2020 09:55pm

Why not. Darren is absolutely deserving of it.

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Khsny

Feb 22, 2020 09:58pm

While indians working hard to isolate Pakistan. India is a laughing stock.

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Syed Hafeez Imran

Feb 22, 2020 10:11pm

@Keshav, I think it is commendable. Dont get jealous and upset

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Ishaq

Feb 22, 2020 10:24pm

Honorary citizenship :) ? Whats so honorary about it?

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Ali da Malanga

Feb 22, 2020 10:32pm

@Keshav - Couldn't digest it?

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Ratan Bhai

Feb 22, 2020 10:46pm

Why does he get only 50K USD salary, he should get the highest PSL contract, looks fishy.

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Ratan Bhai

Feb 22, 2020 10:46pm

@Dinomite , why? can pak dual citizens not play

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Leo

Feb 22, 2020 11:05pm

Enjoyable !

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Wasif Ahmed

Feb 22, 2020 11:12pm

Highly appreciate Darrell Sammy's contributions and deserves the award. I welcome and more good news will come. Welcome well wishers to come to Pakistan. Best wishes.

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Mak

Feb 22, 2020 11:22pm

@Keshav, keep burning .

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Adeel

Feb 23, 2020 12:58am

Respect for Sammy, he came to Pakistan when no one wanted to visit us. We won't forget his generosity. Welcome home Sammy!!

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Amarnath

Feb 23, 2020 01:22am

For playng cricket in Pakistan?

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Madhu

Feb 23, 2020 01:33am

@Keshav, And Mr. genius, may I know why are you so jealous??

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Madhu

Feb 23, 2020 01:34am

Thank you PSL and Pakistan Zindabad!!

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Umair

Feb 23, 2020 01:37am

@Keshav, laughable are jobless trolls commenting on the foreign forum that is none of their concern.

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Assad Raza - Canada

Feb 23, 2020 02:23am

Can you please lay out the contributions? Yes he deserve it but people should know his contributions to further appreciate. Such a nice character.

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Pak

Feb 23, 2020 03:48am

He loves pakistan. No doubt about that.

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Inquisitor

Feb 23, 2020 05:02am

Thoroughly deserved acolade, and well done for recognising his committment.

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Asif

Feb 23, 2020 05:28am

@Keshav, why

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MSR

Feb 23, 2020 07:29am

@Keshav, yes for sure you comment is definitely laughable.

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Shiv@uk

Feb 23, 2020 09:20am

Has he asked?

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JackJones

Feb 23, 2020 12:42pm

@Dinomite , A country that refuses to acknowledge their own teammates referring to Kabadhi World Cup tells one more about that country.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Feb 23, 2020 01:41pm

No doubt, he is a true ambassador of cricket and global cricketers, the world over.

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Kabir

Feb 23, 2020 04:53pm

Good luck Darren. You may decide to retire in Pakistan.

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Rajesh

Feb 23, 2020 07:47pm

He will never ever play in India.

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Kamran Khan

Feb 23, 2020 11:50pm

I feel Sir Vivian Richards should also be made honorary citizen.

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