The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially released the schedule for the much-anticipated President’s Trophy Grade-I tournament, set to kick off on September 12. This first-class competition features eight departmental teams that will participate in a total of 28 matches, culminating in a five-day final for the top two teams. The tournament is scheduled to run until October 28, 2023.
The eight teams competing in this prestigious tournament include Ghani Glass, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Kingsmen Academy, Markhor Information Technology Solutions (MIT), Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan Television (PTV), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL). Each team will engage in seven four-day matches, with the leading two teams progressing to the final, which will take place from October 24-28 at a venue to be confirmed.
Notably, this season marks the first-class debuts of MIT Solutions, the champions of the President’s Trophy Grade-II, and runners-up Kingsmen Academy. The opening round of matches will see Ghani Glass face KRL at Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar, while MIT Solutions will compete against Kingsmen Academy in Abbottabad. Additionally, PTV will take on OGDCL at Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad, and SBP will face SNGPL at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.
The tournament will be held across four venues, with matches scheduled for seven rounds. The final will be the only five-day match in the series, highlighting the significance of the concluding fixture in determining the champion.
Several prominent players from Pakistan's cricket scene will feature in the squads of the participating teams. Ghani Glass will be captained by left-arm spinner Noman Ali, while KRL will be led by all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed, who will have Fakhar Zaman as his vice-captain, along with star bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in the lineup.
Kingsmen Academy has appointed Tayyab Arif as captain, with Salman Ali Agha serving as his deputy. Their squad boasts talents such as Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Huraira, Saim Ayub, Mir Hamza, and Hunain Shah. OGDCL will be captained by Imam-ul-Haq and will include Rohail Nazir, while PTV has named Shamyl Hussain as captain, featuring Haris Rauf and Arafat Minhas.
SBP will be under the leadership of Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, with notable players like Kamran Ghulam, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, and Abid Ali. SNGPL will be captained by Shan Masood, who will have Mohammad Rizwan as his vice-captain, along with Abdullah Shafique, Sajid Khan, and Shahnawaz Dahani in their squad.
In addition to the Grade-I tournament, the PCB has announced that the three-day, non-first-class President’s Trophy Grade-II Gold and Silver tournaments are expected to commence in the third week of September, with further details to be disclosed later. This comprehensive schedule promises an exciting season of cricket in Pakistan.
Leave a Comment