ISLAMABAD (APP): The University of Management and Technology (UMT) Markhors (previously Wolves) will face off against the Panthers in the opening match of the Champions One-Day Cup at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Thursday.
Mohammad Rizwan will captain the UMT Markhors, with Misbah-ul-Haq serving as their mentor, while the Panthers will be led by Shadab Khan, with Saqlain Mushtaq as their mentor. The season-opening event boasts a total prize pool of PKR49 million, with the tournament winner on 29 September set to take home PKR30 million and the runner-up receiving PKR15 million, according to a press release.
On Friday, Mohammad Haris’ Allied Bank Stallions will clash with Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Nurpur Lions, followed by Saturday’s fixture between Saud Shakeel’s Dolphins and Shadab Khan’s Panthers. All five teams have been in Faisalabad for the past five days, participating in extensive training sessions to prepare for this newly launched tournament, which features the best of the country’s top cricketers.
The tournament has been planned with an eye on next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with standout performers looking to strengthen their chances of breaking into the national side that will compete in ODIs in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and a home tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa in the lead-up to the biggest ICC Event of 2025.
White-ball head coach Gary Kirsten will be in Faisalabad to observe the 50-over tournament, which will be played on a single-round basis. Later in the competition, red-ball coach Jason Gillespie will also join Kirsten in Faisalabad.
In this high-stakes tournament where every match counts, the top-four sides will progress to the playoffs, culminating in the final on September 29.
UMT Markhors captain Mohammad Rizwan said, “A high-quality domestic event like the Champions One-Day Cup is the lifeblood of any leading cricket-playing nation, as it provides equal and fair opportunities for both established and emerging cricketers to strengthen their claims for national selection. With that in mind, I am eagerly looking forward to this tournament and am confident it will meet all its strategic objectives.
Panthers captain Shadab Khan said, “We’ve trained hard in Faisalabad and now it’s time to translate that effort into positive results. We need to bring intensity and passion every time we step onto the field, as this tournament will not be easy to win. Only the team that will show consistency will come out on top, and I firmly believe we have what it takes to be that team.
Fixtures from Thursday-Sunday (all matches will begin at 3pm):
Thurs, Sep 12 – UMT Markhors v Panthers. Aleem Dar and Asif Yaqoob (on-field umpires); Waleed Yaqub (third umpire), Zulfiqar Jan (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee).
Fri, Sep 13 – Allied Bank Stallions v Nurpur Lions. Aleem Dar and Waleed Yaqub (on-field umpires); Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Zulfiqar Jan (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee).
Sat, Sep 14 – Dolphins v Panthers. Asif Yaqoob and Zulfiqar Jan (on-field umpires); Aleem Dar (third umpire), Waleed Yaqub (fourth umpire); Bilal Khilji (match referee).
Sun, Sep 15 – UMT Markhors v Allied Bank Stallions. Aleem Dar and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires); Waleed Yaqub (third umpire), Zulfiqar Jan (fourth umpire); Bilal Khilji (match referee).
16-player squads- Dolphins: Saud Shakeel (captain), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Riazullah, Noman Ali, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sameen Gul, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sufiyan Moqim, Umar Amin and Usman Qadir; Mentor – Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Lions: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Aamer Yamin, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rohail Nazir, Sajjad Ali Hashmi, Sharoon Siraj and Sirajuddin; Mentor – Waqar Younis.
Markhors: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, Ali Usman, Bismillah Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haseebullah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi, Muhammad Imran, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mehmood; Mentor – Misbah ul Haq.
Panthers: Shadab Khan (captain), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ahmed Bashir, Amad Butt, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Umar, Mohammad Zeeshan, Mubasir Khan, Rizwan Mehmood, Saim Ayub, Umar Siddiq, Usama Mir and Usman Khan; Mentor – Saqlain Mushtaq.
Stallions: Mohammad Haris (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Adil Amin, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Jahandad Khan, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Saad Khan, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Ubaid Shah, Yasir Khan and Zaman Khan; Mentor – Shoaib Malik.
