Star-studded squads confirmed for Champions One-Day Cup

Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium will play host to the highly anticipated Champions One-Day Cup, kicking off on September 12 with a star-studded opening match between the UMT (University of Management and Technology) Markhors and the Panthers.

The tournament, featuring some of Pakistan’s top cricket talent, offers a total prize pool of Rs49 million, with the winner on September 29 set to claim Rs30 million, while the runner-up will take home Rs15 million.

Led by Mohammad Rizwan and mentored by Misbah-ul-Haq, the UMT Markhors will take on Shadab Khan’s Panthers, with Saqlain Mushtaq serving as the Panthers’ mentor.

The tournament will feature five teams, including Mohammad Haris’ Allied Bank Stallions and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Nurpur Lions, who will face off on Friday. The third fixture, set for Saturday, will see Saud Shakeel’s Dolphins challenge Shadab Khan’s Panthers.

Teams have been in Faisalabad for the past week, undergoing extensive training ahead of the competition, which aims to prepare players for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. Outstanding performances in the tournament could secure spots for players in Pakistan’s national side for future international tours, including ODIs in Australia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and a home tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa.

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White-ball head coach Gary Kirsten will be in Faisalabad to oversee the tournament, with red-ball coach Jason Gillespie expected to join later in the competition. The 50-over tournament will follow a single-round format, with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs and the final set for September 29.

As the tournament approaches, squads have been trimmed to 16 players each, with some of the country’s biggest names in cricket set to compete.

Squads:

• Dolphins: Saud Shakeel (captain), Sarfaraz Ahmed (mentor), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Huraira, Usman Qadir, and others.
• Lions: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Waqar Younis (mentor), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Rohail Nazir, and others.
• Markhors: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq (mentor), Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, and others.
• Panthers: Shadab Khan (captain), Saqlain Mushtaq (mentor), Haider Ali, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Hasnain, and others.
• Stallions: Mohammad Haris (captain), Shoaib Malik (mentor), Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, and others.

With top-tier talent and high stakes, the Champions One-Day Cup is set to be a key event in Pakistan’s cricket calendar, showcasing players vying for a place in the national team ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.