The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is organizing a 50-over ODI Champions Cup on the style of the PSL to introduce modern cricket and eliminate the obsolescence of the current system. The said cup will be played from September 12 to September 29 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.
Iqbal Stadium was inaugurated in 1978 as the most modern stadium in Pakistan but over time this important ground was neglected.
It has not played an international match for the last 16 years. His condition is like that of a losing gambler. Money is on the walls everywhere from the dressing room to the public stands.
The PCB has also reluctantly selected it for the Champions Cup as construction work continues in Lahore and Karachi while Rawalpindi and Multan are being prepared for the series against England.
The facilities in Faisalabad Stadium are non-existent, but the facilities are being compromised for the Champions Cup, which has made the concept of a quality tournament a victim of expediency since its inception.
Players are divided into five teams for the Champions Cup, each team is assigned a mentor.
Former Test cricketer Waqar Younis, Shoaib Malik, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbah-ul-Haq and current national team member Sarfaraz Ahmad will perform the duties of mentor. Sarfraz Ahmed will also be a part of his team’s playing XI.
All five teams have selected 20 players based on domestic performance but several players have been overlooked.
Pakistan Under-19 captain Saad Ahmed and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy top-scorer Abdul Faseeh are among those who have been overlooked, while Test cricketer Ahmed Shahzad has apologized for nepotism in the selection.
Champions Cup teams
Dolphins
Under the leadership of Saud Shakeel, the Dolphins squad looks quite balanced. Sarfraz Ahmed is his mentor while former first-class cricketer Iqbal Imam is his coach. Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, Sahibzada Farhan, Umar Amin, Asif Ali, Nouman Ali and Sarfraz Ahmed are prominent players.
Other purlins
Under the supervision of former Test captain Waqar Younis, the Lions team looks a strong team. Shaheen Shah Afridi is leading it while Abdul Rehman is its coach. Among the important players of the team are Abdullah Shafiq, Imamul Haque, Aamir Jamal, Aamir Yameen and Khushdil Shah.
The team has more young players but the fast bowling department is stronger. The team is sponsored by Noorpur Dairies.
UTM markers
The Wolves team is sponsored by a private university. After which the name has been changed. Under the supervision of Misbah-ul-Haq, the Markhors team is an important team in the Champions Cup. Under the leadership of Mohammad Rizwan, the team is expected to give a strong competition. The coach of the team is Ejaz Jr. while the main players are Naseem Shah, Fakhr Zaman, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Shahnawaz Durmani and Zahid Mehmood.
Panthers
Shadab Khan is leading the Panthers while his father Nasibti Saqlain Mushtaq is the mentor of the team. Umar Rasheed is the head coach. Among the main players of the team are Saim Ayub, Osama Mir, Hyder Ali and Usman Khan. Apparently, the team looks weak, but due to the abundance of young players, the team can give unexpected results.
The Stallions
The Stallions team under the supervision of Shoaib Malik is the main team of this tournament as it has test cricketers like Babar Azam, Shan Masood, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed under the captaincy of Mohammad Haris. With Shoaib Malik as his mentor, Hussain Talat Muhammad Ali and Azam Khan, this team is the favorite of the tournament.
The opening match of the tournament will be played on Thursday between UTM Markhor and Panthers and the final will be played on September 29.
Organizers for the tournament have not been able to find free contracts and sponsors to show live on various TV channels and social media.
A prize of Rs 3 crore has been announced for the winner of the tournament which is very low considering the publicity of the tournament.
Mentor role
The concept of a mentor is not very old. The appointment of a mentor is usually a symbolic role. The catim in which the intervention is less. He can give advice when needed, but in the Champions Cup, mentors are announced before the team, giving the impression that specific people are being honoured.
Sarfraz Ahmed’s role as a mentor and player at the same time is a unique example. How will they lead the rest when they are playing by themselves?
Will this tournament be profitable?
The rapid descent Pakistan cricket has taken in the last one year has taken everyone by surprise.
This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).
The team didn’t just lose to big teams but also lost at home who didn’t count.
Pakistan’s next target is the Test series against England. The quality and mood of a Test series is completely different. Holding ODIs on this occasion will not work for this series but Pakistan have ODI series against Australia in November and South Africa in December for which this tournament could be a good practice.
Although Chairman PCB has stated that the purpose of this tournament is to find and nurture new talent, but in the presence of players on central contracts and players who are constantly attached to the national team, the chances of young players getting a chance are very low.
The worst performance of the Pakistan team in the last one year has opened the fortress of senior players, but the PCB administration has once again made these failed players a part of the five teams.
Although the people of Faisalabad are excited about the Champions Cup and fans are flocking to the stadium to catch a glimpse of their heroes before the tournament, the lack of facilities in the deserted ground has made cricket fans unable to attend matches. Has made attendance difficult.
It will be a difficult task for the spectators to sit for hours in the hot sun in the open air stands in the scorching heat.
Champions Cup is a good effort towards cricket but will this tournament produce international quality cricketers?
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2024-09-12 14:45:15
Table of Contents
Pakistan Cricket Board’s Champions Cup: A New Era for Cricket in Pakistan?
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is organizing a 50-over ODI Champions Cup, modeled after the Pakistan Super League (PSL), to modernize cricket and eliminate the obsolescence of the current system. The tournament is scheduled to take place from September 12 to September 29 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%9325ChampionsOne-Day_Cup”>[1[1[1[1[1[1[1[1].
Iqbal Stadium: A Forgotten Gem
Iqbal Stadium, inaugurated in 1978, was once considered the
What are the key features of the Champions Cup being introduced by the Pakistan Cricket Board at Iqbal Stadium?
Pakistan Cricket Board Introduces Champions Cup at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to revolutionize cricket in the country with the introduction of a 50-over ODI Champions Cup, modelled on the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The tournament will take place from September 12 to September 29 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. This historic stadium, inaugurated in 1978, has been neglected for years, with no international matches played there for the past 16 years [[2]]. The PCB has reluctantly selected the stadium for the Champions Cup, despite ongoing construction work in Lahore and Karachi, and preparations for the series against England in Rawalpindi and Multan.
The Iqbal Stadium, once the most modern stadium in Pakistan, has fallen into disrepair, with money wasted on the walls of the dressing room and public stands [[[1]]. However, the PCB has compromised on the facilities to make the Champions Cup a reality.
The tournament will feature five teams, each with a mentor and 20 players selected based on domestic performance. Former Test cricketers Waqar Younis, Shoaib Malik, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbah-ul-Haq, and current national team member Sarfaraz Ahmed will perform mentoring duties. Sarfraz Ahmed will also be part of his team’s playing XI.
The teams participating in the Champions Cup are:
Dolphins: Led by Saud Shakeel, with Sarfraz Ahmed as mentor and former first-class cricketer Iqbal Imam as coach. Notable players include Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, Sahibzada Farhan, Umar Amin, Asif Ali, Nouman Ali, and Sarfraz Ahmed.
Lions: Led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, with Waqar Younis as mentor and Abdul Rehman as coach. The team features young players, with a strong fast bowling department. Sponsored by Noorpur Dairies.
UTM Markhors: Led by Mohammad Rizwan, with Misbah-ul-Haq as mentor and Ejaz Jr. as coach. The team is expected to give a strong competition, with notable players including Naseem Shah, Fakhr Zaman, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Shahnawaz Durmani, and Zahid Mehmood.
Panthers: Led by Shadab Khan, with Saqlain Mushtaq as mentor.
The Champions Cup has already generated controversy, with Pakistan Under-19 captain Saad Ahmed and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy top-scorer Abdul Faseeh being overlooked, while Test cricketer Ahmed Shahzad has apologized for nepotism in the selection.
Despite these challenges, the PCB is committed to introducing modern cricket and eliminating the obsolescence of the current system. The Champions Cup is a significant step forward, and fans can look forward to exciting matches at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.
Photos: The PCB has released a photo gallery of the Northern vs Central Punjab match at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad [[2]]. Additionally, a TikTok video showcases the stadium’s preparation for the Champions Cup [[1]]. A YouTube video provides a breaking news update on the PCB’s visit to Iqbal Stadium [[3]].
By hosting the Champions Cup, the PCB aims to breathe new life into the Iqbal Stadium and Pakistani cricket as a whole. With its rich history and talented players, the tournament promises to be an exciting and competitive event.