MM News

KARACHI: Following the completion of the action-packed Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the focus has now shifted to the Pakistan Cup which commences on 8 January in Karachi.

The 33-match tournament, to be played on double-league basis, will be staged at three Karachi venues – NBP Sports Complex, State Bank Stadium and UBL Sports Complex. State Bank Stadium will host the two semi-finals on 29 and 30 January and the final on 31 January.

The Pakistan Cricket Board will broadcast 13 matches – 10 group and three knockouts from the State Bank Stadium. The tournament carries nearly Rs10million in prize money. The tournament winners will bag Rs5million, while the runners-up will pocket Rs2.5million.

The best performers of the tournament – Player of the Tournament, Best Batsman, Best Bowler and Best Wicketkeeper – will equally share Rs1million amongst them and Rs800,000 will be handed to 32 players who receive Man of the Match award in group matches and semi-finals. The Player of the Final will receive Rs35,000.

Meanwhile, the six head coaches have finalised their 16-player squads and have provided an opportunity to young cricketers who gave impressive performances during the 2020-21 domestic season.

Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament promises action-packed cricket

More: https://t.co/P6JmJnx4FI #PakistanCup | #HarHaalMainCricket pic.twitter.com/rhZExCfZci

— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) January 7, 2021

After helping his team stage an outstanding comeback in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Hasan Ali will continue to lead Central Punjab, who shared the title with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the final ended in an epic tie. The squad consists all 11 players who played the final along with Ahmed Bashir, Bilal Asif, Rizwan Hussain, Sohaibullah and Tayyab Tahir.

Khalid Usman will remain at helm of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team and will have hard-hitting top-order batsman Fakhar Zaman, the leading run-scorer in the National T20 Cup, as his deputy. Batsman Kamran Ghulam and Sajid Ali, the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy have been retained.

Balochistan will be led by veteran batsman Imran Farhat and wicketkeeper-batsman Bismillah Khan as his vice-captain. Teenager Abdul Wahid Bangalzai who had an impressive domestic season has been included.

Mohammad Nawaz has been named as the captain of Northern team. Mubasir Khan is in line to make his debut as he was named one of the 16 players in the squad.

After finishing the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy at the bottom, Sindh will be eager to stage a comeback. Saud Shakeel the captain of the side. Sixteen-year-old off-spinner Aaliyan Mehmood has been rewarded for his sensational return in U19 tournaments.

Middle-order batsman Sohaib Maqsood will lead Southern Punjab, the finalists of the National T20 Cup. The bowling order will be decided with the inclusion of Australian pacer Aaron Summers. They have included Mukhtar Ahmed and Waqar Hussain, the top two run-getters of the Pakistan Cup for Second XI teams, who played a vital role in Southern Punjab winning that tournament.

#PakistanCup 2020 squads 📃

More: https://t.co/P4LRmvVwBO #HarHaalMainCricket pic.twitter.com/5LJYrHyX8x

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 7, 2021