The Champions One-Day Cup is a new, flashier version of Pakistan’s domestic 50-over cricket competition. This tournament is designed to bring more excitement to the domestic cricket scene, with five teams competing against each other. Each team is captained by a well-known Pakistan international cricketer, making it a highly anticipated event for cricket fans. The captains announced for the tournament are Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Saud Shakeel, and Mohammad Haris. They will lead the Lions, Wolves, Panthers, Dolphins, and Stallions, respectively.
One of the more surprising decisions in this tournament is Mohammad Haris being chosen as the captain of the Stallions. His selection as captain was made by the team’s mentor, Shoaib Malik, a senior figure in Pakistan cricket. Haris’ inclusion as captain marks a sudden return to the spotlight for the young cricketer. He last played an ODI (One Day International) cricket match for Pakistan a year ago and was not selected for Pakistan’s World Cup squad. Additionally, he lost his place in the T20 side, which many thought was his best format, when Wahab Riaz was the chief selector. However, in this tournament, he is not only part of the squad but is leading a team that includes Babar Azam, who is Pakistan’s captain in white-ball cricket. Haris and Babar also play together for Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where Babar is the captain.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken extra measures this year to ensure the participation of the country’s top players in the tournament. Unlike past editions of the competition, the PCB has made sure that there is no international cricket for Pakistan during this time, which means that all available and fit players can play. The goal is to make the tournament as competitive and high-quality as possible, showcasing the best domestic and international talent in Pakistan.
During the unveiling of the mentors for the tournament, Misbah-ul-Haq, who is the mentor for the Wolves, made it clear that fitness will be a key factor. Any players who are not fit will not be allowed to take part in the competition. In line with this, the PCB released a list of players who did not make the cut because of fitness issues. One notable name on that list is former Pakistan opener Sharjeel Khan, who missed out due to not meeting the required fitness standards.
The Champions One-Day Cup will take place in Faisalabad from September 12 to September 29. Unlike previous years, the tournament will not have semi-finals. Instead, there will be playoffs to decide the winners. The tournament is set to end just eight days before Pakistan’s first Test match against England. Each team has announced an extended squad list, but these lists will be trimmed down by September 10, with final squads being confirmed before the tournament starts.
Even though the teams don’t have city names attached to them, their names are linked to the history of previous domestic cricket teams in Pakistan. For example, the Lions are linked to Lahore, the Dolphins to Karachi, the Panthers to Peshawar, the Wolves to Faisalabad, and the Stallions are most famously linked to Sialkot. These names bring a sense of tradition and pride to the competition, even though the tournament itself is a newer version of the domestic 50-over format.
Another interesting aspect of the tournament is the role of player-mentors. The only player serving as both a mentor and a player is Sarfaraz Ahmed, who will be playing for and mentoring the Dolphins. Other mentors include former Pakistan captains and players such as Misbah-ul-Haq (Wolves), Shoaib Malik (Stallions), Saqlain Mushtaq (Panthers), and Waqar Younis (Lions). These mentors will be guiding their teams not just with their experience, but also helping to develop younger players, making the tournament a great opportunity for up-and-coming talent to shine on a big stage.
With all the top players involved, strong mentors, and the PCB’s efforts to make the tournament as competitive as possible, the Champions One-Day Cup is expected to be one of the most exciting domestic cricket events in Pakistan. Fans will be eagerly watching to see which team will come out on top in this action-packed tournament.
