BOSTON: In a significant milestone, Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan have enrolled in the Harvard Business School’s executive education program on the Business of Media, Entertainment, and Sports (BEMS), making them the first cricketers to join the prestigious institution.
The star duo will be participating in the program from May 31 to June 3 at Harvard’s campus in Boston, Massachusetts. Following the program, both cricketers will also engage with various communities in the United States until June 13.
The BEMS program at Harvard Business School has previously attracted participation from renowned sportspersons, including 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.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan Happy Over Honor
Expressing his excitement, Mohammad Rizwan said, “It is a huge honor to represent Pakistan on such a prestigious global stage. We are going to the BEMS program at Harvard to learn from the best of the best in the world and at the same time, to share our journey and learnings with everyone. I am sure that this will be an exciting journey, and I look forward to sharing our learning and experiences with the next superstars of the cricket world.”
Babar Azam echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing his eagerness to connect, explore, learn, and give back to the worldwide community. “I am a lifelong learner, and I have had detailed chats about this program with Prof. Elberse and Talha Rehmani. My inspiration for joining this world-class program at Harvard is to connect, explore, listen, learn, grow, and give back to the community worldwide. I am sure there are scores of things to learn from the amazing athletes and top business executives from the entertainment, media, and sports industries who are coming from corners of the world,” said Babar.
Talha Rehmani, founder and CEO of sports talent management company Saya Corporation, will also be part of the program, further enriching the experience for the participants.
The BEMS program, chaired by Professor Anita Elberse, one of the youngest women to earn tenure at Harvard Business School, is set to benefit greatly from the inclusion of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. “I am delighted to be able to welcome Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to the Harvard Business School and to the BEMS program,” said Elberse. “We think the other participants will benefit greatly from their experiences as world-class athletes with a strong interest in the business world.”
