The stage is set for an action-packed cricket extravaganza as Abbottabad and Rawalpindi gear up to host 24 matches of the President’s Cup, a prestigious 50-over-a-side tournament featuring seven prominent departments of the country. Scheduled to take place from April 24 to May 12, the tournament promises thrilling encounters as teams vie for supremacy in the limited-overs format.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), fresh off their triumph in the four-day first-class President’s Trophy, will look to extend their dominance and clinch another trophy to conclude the 2023-24 season on a high note.
Joining SNGPL in the tournament are six formidable teams: Pakistan Television (PTV), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Higher Education Commission (HEC), and Ghani Glass. The competition will see these teams battle it out in a single round-robin format, with the top four sides advancing to the semi-finals after 21 league matches.
The league matches will be held at Shoaib Akhtar Stadium, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, while venues for the three knock-out matches will be confirmed closer to the event dates.
The teams will be led by seasoned campaigners, with Ahmed Shehzad captaining WAPDA, Usman Salahuddin leading SBP, Rohail Nazir at the helm for KRL, and Moeez Ghani taking charge of Ghani Glass. Additionally, Mohammad Huraira will lead HEC, while Shamyl Hussain and Saud Shakeel will captain PTV and SNGPL, respectively.
With a total prize money of PKR 2.5 million up for grabs, including a hefty cheque of PKR 1.5 million for the winning team along with the coveted trophy, the stakes are high in this fiercely contested tournament.
Abdullah Khurram Niazi, Director of Domestic Cricket Operations, expressed his enthusiasm for the tournament, highlighting its significance in the revival of departmental cricket. He emphasized the PCB Chairman’s commitment to revitalizing domestic cricket, which is expected to provide more opportunities for young talents and foster the emergence of new stars in the national cricket arena.
The tournament will kick off with exciting fixtures on Wednesday, including SNGPL vs Ghani Glass at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, PTV vs SBP at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, and KRL vs WAPDA at Shoaib Akhtar Stadium. On Friday, fans can look forward to thrilling clashes between WAPDA and Ghani Glass, KRL and PTV, and SBP and HEC at various venues.
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