KARACHI, March 7: After the bizarre conclusion of the second edition of the Twenty20 Cup at the weekend in Karachi, attention now shifts to the Regional National one-day cricket championship that begins from Wednesday.
The regional event, which was originally to be played between Feb 21 and March 8, was put off as the PCB brought forward the Twenty20 Cup after the postponement of the six-nation Asia Cup which was to be hosted by Pakistan last month.
However, unlike the Twenty20 Cup, most of Pakistan’s current stars are not going to feature at least in the first two rounds of the more conventional one-day tournament because the short conditioning camp for the impeding Sri Lanka tour starts in Lahore from Wednesday.
Last season’s regional one-day cup runners-up Sialkot Stallions, who clinched the Twenty20 Cup after defeating Faisalabad Wolves in the final at the National Stadium in the early hours of Sunday, will have to perform without Shoaib Malik, Rana Navedul Hasan and Mohammad Asif as the trio are certain to make the squad for Sri Lanka trip.
Even then, the Stallions are tipped to win their third title this season. Sialkot grabbed their first-ever major national crown when they beat Faisalabad last December in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy final at Lahore.
As was the case in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, the regional one-day is being staged in two leagues for the first time.
The Gold League features seven outfits –- Karachi Zebras, Lahore Eagles, Faisalabad Wolves, Sialkot Stallions, Peshawar Panthers, Rawalpindi Rams and Multan Tigers –- and has a total prize-money of Rs500,000.
The Silver League features six teams — Karachi Dolphins, Lahore Lions, Hyderabad Hawks, Quetta Bears, Islamabad Leopards and Abbottabad Rhinos — and carries Rs300,000 in prize-money.
Except for the first round, the Gold League is being staged in Karachi and culminating with the final on Pakistan Day (March 23) at the National Stadium.
The Silver League matches are mainly confined to Lahore, Islamabad and Abbottabad. The final is scheduled for March 20 at an unspecified venue.
Schedule:
Gold League
March 8: v Faisalabad Wolves v Peshawar Panthers at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad; Sialkot Stallions v Lahore Eagles at Sheikhupura Stadium; Rawalpindi Rams v Karachi Zebras at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
March 11: Sialkot Stallions v Rawalpindi Rams at National Stadium, Karachi; Faisalabad Wolves v Multan Tigers at UBL Sports Complex, Karachi; Karachi Zebras v Peshawar Panthers at NBP Sports Complex, Karachi.
March 13: Karachi Zebras v Faisalabad Wolves at National Stadium; Lahore Eagles v Peshawar Panthers at UBL Sports Complex; Multan Tigers v Rawalpindi Rams at NBP Sports Complex.
March 15: Sialkot Stallions v Peshawar Panthers at National Stadium; Karachi Zebras v Multan Tigers at UBL Sports Complex; Lahore Eagles v Rawalpindi Rams at NBP Sports Complex. March 17: Peshawar Panthers v Multan Tigers at UBL Sports Complex; Lahore Eagles v Faisalabad Wolves at NBP Sports Complex; Karachi Zebras v Sialkot Stallions at National Stadium.
March 19: Peshawar Panthers v Rawalpindi Rams at UBL Sports Complex; Sialkot Stallions v Faisalabad at NBP Sports Complex; Lahore Eagles v Multan Tigers at National Stadium.
March 21: Faisalabad Wolves v Rawalpindi Rams at NBP Sports Complex; Sialkot Stallions v Multan Tigers at UBL Sports Complex; Karachi Zebras v Lahore Eagles at National Stadium.
March 23: Final at National Stadium.
Silver League
March 8: Lahore Lions v Karachi Dolphins at LCCA Ground, Lahore; Hyderabad Hawks v Quetta Bears at Municipal Sports Complex, Mirpurkhas; Islamabad Leopards v Abbottabad Rhinos at Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad. March 11: Lahore Lions v Hyderabad Hawks at LCCA Ground, Lahore; Islamabad Leopards v Karachi Dolphins at Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad; Abbottabad Rhinos v Quetta Bears at Abbottabad Stadium.
March 13: Lahore Lions v Quetta Bears at LCCA Ground, Lahore; Abbottabad Rhinos v Karachi Dolphins at Abbottabad Stadium; Islamabad Leopards v Hyderabad Hawks at Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad.
March 15: Lahore Lions v Islamabad Leopards at LCCA Ground, Lahore; Karachi Dolphins v Quetta Bears at Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad; Abbottabad Rhinos v Hyderabad Hawks at Abbottabad Stadium.
March 17: Abbottabad Rhinos v Lahore Lions at Abbottabad Stadium; Karachi Dolphins v Hyderabad Hawks at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium; Islamabad Leopards v Quetta Bears at Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad.
March 20: Final at a venue to be announced later.
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