ISLAMABAD, Aug 29 (APP): Pakistan’s best domestic white-ball cricketers would be see in action as the Kingdom Valley National T20 Cup 2022-23 kicks off at Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi from Tuesday.
The 33-match tournament was a curtain raiser for the 2022-23 men’s domestic cricket season and would be followed by Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) and Pakistan Cup (one-day).
The National T20 Cup 2022-23 would be played in two legs. Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi would host the first 16 matches till September 7 and then the action will move to Multan Cricket Stadium, where the remaining matches will be played from September 10 to 19.
Led by Khalid Usman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the defending champions, would enter the tournament with the mission of securing a hat-trick of titles after winning the 2020-21 and 2021-22 editions.
They have won 15 of their last 24 matches and begin their campaign on 31 August when they play Central Punjab. Khalid Usman said, “There is a little pressure when you are defending the title, but, we have a good unit that has all the potential to do the job.
The atmosphere in the team is great. My message to my boys is to play fearless, positive cricket and give their 110 per cent.” Balochistan enter the tournament with confidence as they ended the previous season on a high by winning the Pakistan Cup.
Since playing the final of the 2019-20 edition of the tournament, Balochistan would face-off Central Punjab on the opening day of the tournament under the captaincy of Yasir Shah. Yasir Shah said, “We have a good T20 side and our players have been doing well in different leagues recently.” Central Punjab faced a defeat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Lahore last season, thanks to Iftikhar Ahmed’s whirlwind 19-ball 45 not out, in the final.
All-rounder Faheem Ashraf leads them this season. Faheem said, “It is a dream to lead or represent Punjab or Central Punjab. To thrive in T20 competitions, it is important to come together as a unit and develop good combinations from the onset, so we are looking to do that.”
Northern were champions of the first National T20 played following the revamp of the domestic structure. They thumped Balochistan in the final. Under the captaincy of Umar Amin, their aim must be to start good at their home, Rawalpindi, and go the distance when the tournament moves to Multan.
Umar Amin said, “Our team has a good combination of youth and experience. We made some mistakes at crunch moments in the last two editions but I hope, will not repeat them.”
Southern Punjab had a last-minute change of guard after Hasan Ali was called up to the national side for the ongoing ACC T20 Asia Cup. All-rounder Salman Ali Agha, has been handed the reins in the absence of the star pacer. Southern Punjab had a memorable 2020-21 campaign in which they fell 10 runs short of winning the title.
Zain Abbas (Southern Punjab vice-captain) said, “We have prepared well for it and are coming into this tournament with a passion to do well as we have not won a major tournament for Southern Punjab yet.
We want to win this tournament.” Sindh, led by Saud Shakeel, would take on Southern Punjab in the first match of the National T20 Cup 2022-23 on Tuesday. Saud Shakeel said, “We have good spinners, hard-hitting openers, Sharjeel being one of them, and sloggers in the middle-order. Hopefully, we will do well in this tournament.”
Sindh second XI’s Sohail Khan has replaced Rumman Raees following an injury to the latter. Asif Ali comes in the second XI team.
