Champions One-Day Cup, Pakistan: Meet the captains
The Champions One-Day Cup, Pakistan's revamped domestic 50-over competition, has announced its team captains. All five teams will be led by experienced Pakistan internationals. The Lions will be captained by Shaheen Shah Afridi while Mohammad Rizwan will lead the Wolves. Shadab Khan has been appointed as the captain of the Panthers. Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Haris have been named as leaders for the Dolphins and Stallions respectively.
Haris's unexpected return to PCB's favor
Mohammad Haris's appointment as the Stallions's captain by mentor Shoaib Malik, marks a surprising comeback. Despite not playing ODI cricket for a year and being excluded from Pakistan's World Cup squad, he now leads a team featuring Babar Azam, Pakistan's white-ball captain. This unexpected turn of events signifies a potential shift in the PCB's stance toward Haris.
PCB ensures top player participation in Champions One-Day Cup
In a departure from previous years, the PCB has made efforts to secure the involvement of Pakistan's most prominent players in the Champions One-Day Cup. The tournament schedule has been arranged to avoid clashing with international cricket commitments. As a result, nearly all fit centrally contracted players are expected to participate in this domestic competition.
Unfit players to miss out on Champions One-Day Cup
During the mentors' unveiling press conferences, Misbah-ul-Haq, mentor of the Wolves, stated that any unfit players would be excluded from the competition. The PCB has released a list of players who did not meet this fitness criterion, including former Pakistan opener Sharjeel Khan. This move underscores the importance placed on player fitness for participation in this domestic cricket tournament.
Champions One-Day Cup: Tournament details and squad announcements
The Champions One-Day Cup will be held in Faisalabad from September 12-29, with playoffs instead of semi-finals. The tournament ends eight days before the first Test between Pakistan and England. Each team has announced extended squad lists, which are to be trimmed by September 10. The teams do not have affiliated city names, but each name does have historical links to previous domestic cup sides.
