RAWALPINDI: The inaugural edition of the Champions T20 Cup is set to begin with a double-header on December 7 here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The T20 tournament, part of the Champions tournaments introduced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier this year, will run until December 25.
The five-team tournament comprising 22 matches will begin with a curtain-raiser between Imam-ul-Haq’s Lions and Iftikhar Ahmed’s Markhors, followed by the second match, scheduled between Mohammad Haris-led Stallions and Shadab Khan’s Panthers .
Meanwhile, the Faheem Ashraf-led Dolphins will begin their Champions T20 Cup campaign on Sunday against the Panthers, who won the first edition of the Champions Cup, played in the List-A format.
The five-team tournament will be played in a “fierce new format” to increase the intensity of the competition.
According to the format, the winner of the doubles stage will advance directly to the final, while the second and third placed teams will face each other in an Elimination Round.
The five participating teams will be coached by cricket legends like Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis.
Newly appointed Tournament Director Wahab Riaz, in a statement released by the PCB, expressed his optimism that the tournament would serve as a launch pad for emerging talents and also equip them to meet the demands of the international circuit.
“The PCB has been working hard to improve and give a lot of exposure to young players and I think with this tournament the players will learn a lot by sharing the dressing room with those who have played international cricket and under the guidance of mentors the learning will be precious,” said Wahab.
“From now on, once they enter the international arena, they will not have to worry about pressure and will be equipped to meet the demands,” he added.
Squads:
Stallions: Mohammad Haris (c, wk), Azam Khan (subject to fitness), Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Shamyl Hussain, Shoaib Malik, Tahir Hussain, Taimur Khan, Ubaid Shah , Usman Tariq (subject to fitness), Yasir Khan and Zaman Khan
Reserves: Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Jahandad Khan (to join after December 14), Nasir Nawaz and Shoaib Akhtar Jnr
Dolphins: Faheem Ashraf (c), Asif Ali, Kashif Ali, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohammad Suleman, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Irshad, Sameen Gul, Saqib Khan , Shayan Sheikh and Umar Amin
Subs: Ihsanullah, Salman Khan Afridi, Waqar Ahmed
Panthers: Shadab Khan (c), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ahmed Bashir, Amad Butt, Danish Aziz, Haider Ali, Irfanullah Shah, Mohammad Ibtisam, Mohammad Umar (subject to fitness), Mubasir Khan, Rehan Afridi, Rizwan Mehmood, Sajid Khan, Sharjeel Khan (subject to fitness), Umar Siddiq (wicketkeeper) and Usama Mir
Subs: Ali Asfand, Aqib Liaqat, Azan Awais, Mohammad Zeeshan and Yousuf Babar (Sharjeel Khan sub)
Lions: Imam-ul-Haq (c), Aamer Yamin, Arif Yaqoob, Faisal Akram, Hasan Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Junaid, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir (wk), Shahab Khan, Shahid Aziz, Sharoon Siraj and Zeeshan Malik
Reserves: Afaq Afridi, Mohammad Awais Anwar, Mohammad Faiq and Sajjad Ali Hashmi
Tags: Iftikhar Ahmed (c), Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, Bilawal Bhatti, Bismillah Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Muhammad Shehzad, Nisar Ahmed, Saad Masood and Zahid Mehmood
Reserves: Ali Usman, Ali Shafique, Ali Shan and Niaz Khan
