RAWALPINDI: Cricket lovers of the twin cities will get to see their favorite players in action on Friday, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Several stars, including Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, will face each other in a T-20 charity match. The flood-lit match will begin at 10.30pm.

The match is being organised by the city district government to collect funds for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan, who had to leave their native towns due to the ongoing military operation.Pakistan A comprising of Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Bilawal Bhatti, Nasir Jamshed, Anwar Ali, Sherjil Khan, Faisal Iqbal, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Maqsood, Ihsan Adil, Yasir Shah and Ali Nasir, will compete against Hamza Shahbaz Sharif’s team, comprising of the MNA himself, along with Shoaib Akhtar, Younas Khan, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Umar Khan, Adnan Akmal, Ali Sarfraz, Imran Khan (junior), Afaq Rahim, Raza Hassan and DCO Sajid Zafar Dal.

Addressing a press conference, PML-N local leaders, including former MNA and coordinator for IDP fund raising Hanif Abbasi, said that the arrangement for the match have been finalised.

Mr Abbasi said that parking lot of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University has been reserved for the attendees. He said that VVIP tickets will be sold at Rs10,000, VIP at Rs5000 and tickets for general seats will be sold at Rs500.

It is relevant to note here that city district government has already sold 4000 general category’s tickets to school and college teachers for Rs500 each.

Mr Abbasi said that the objective of the match is also to pay tribute to Pakistan Army. MNA Malik Abrar said that 50 families of martyred soldiers have also been invited to watch this match as special guests.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2014