The Champions One-Day Cup is set to kick off at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium on September 12, with the opening match featuring a clash between the UMT Markhors and the Panthers. The tournament, which runs until September 29, boasts a substantial prize pool of Rs49 million. The winning team will take home Rs30 million, while the runner-up will receive Rs15 million.
The UMT Markhors, previously known as the Wolves, will be led by Mohammad Rizwan, with Misbah-ul-Haq serving as their mentor. The Panthers, under the leadership of Shadab Khan and mentorship of Saqlain Mushtaq, will be their opening opponents. Other notable fixtures include Mohammad Haris’s Allied Bank Stallions taking on Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Nurpur Lions, and Saud Shakeel’s Dolphins facing off against the Panthers.
All five participating teams have been in Faisalabad for the past five days, engaging in intensive training sessions to prepare for the inaugural tournament, which showcases some of the country’s premier cricketers. The tournament is strategically planned to provide opportunities for players to make a case for inclusion in the national team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
16-Player Squads
The squads for the tournament have been finalized, each consisting of 16 players:
- 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.
The tournament will be played on a single-round basis, with the top four teams progressing to the playoffs. The final is scheduled for September 29. White-ball head coach Gary Kirsten will be in Faisalabad to observe the 50-over matches, and red-ball coach Jason Gillespie will join him later in the competition. This tournament is expected to be a significant step for players aiming to feature in international competitions, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
