Sports Bulletin

ABDULLAH ASJAD Rawalpindi(September 25, 2021):-Wahab Riaz upstaged a strokeful half-century by Babar Azam and Usman Qadir’s four-fer as Home City Central Punjab stuttered to a two-wicket victory over 2019 runners-up Balochistan in the fourth match of the National T20 at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Friday night. Wahab followed up his two for 19 with a priceless 20 not out off eight balls with two sixes and a four to earn victory for the star-studded Central Punjab, which required 20 runs off the last 12 balls. Hasan Ali lent Wahab good support deep in the innings with a 16-ball 19 with two fours and six. Central Punjab’s run-chase was spearheaded by their captain Babar Azam who scored a typical 65 from 45 balls. His entertaining and delightful innings was laced with eight fours and a six. The other Central Punjab batters to reach double figures was Mohammad Akhlaq (14). Despite making a match out of a small total of 142, Balochistan were left ruing the missed opportunities. When Babar was eight, Akif Javed failed to hold on to a straightforward return catch, while in the critical stages of the innings, Junaid Khan bowled crucial no-balls that not only cost him the wickets but also resulted in easy runs for Central Punjab. Central Punjab were equally responsible for making life difficult for themselves. After being 73 for two in 9.3 overs in pursuit of a 143-run target, they slipped to 120 for eight in 17 overs – thanks to a combination of poor shot selections and inspired bowing by Junaid (three for 41) and left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti (two for 15). However, it remains a mystery why Kashif was introduced in the 10th over and didn’t complete his quota of overs. Earlier, electing to bat first, No.8 batter Umaid Asif gave some respect to Balochistan’s score when he clubbed three sixes and a four in an 18-ball 32 not out. This included 17 runs off the final over from Hasan, who finished wicketless and conceded 46 runs. Umaid added 34 runs for the seventh wicket with Kashif, who contributed a run-a-ball 27 with two fours and two sixes. The bowler to peg Balochistan down was wrist spinner Usman Qadir, who bowled intelligently and smartly to finish with figures of 4-0-25-4. For Central Punjab, this was their sixth win in 17 National T20 matches since 2019-20, while for Balochistan, it was their 11 loss in 19 matches. While Friday’s victory helped Central Punjab bounce back from Thursday’s 36-run defeat against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it was second successive defeat for Balochistan which had suffered a six-wicket defeat against Northern on the opening day. Scores in Brief: Match 4 – Home City Central Punjab beat Balochistan by two wickets Balochistan 142-7, 20 overs (Umaid Asif 32 not out, Kashif Bhatti 27, Bismillah Khan 21, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 19; Usman Qadir 4-25, Wahab Riaz 2-19) Home City Central Punjab 145-8, 19 overs (Babar Azam 65, Wahab Riaz 20 not out, Hasan Ali 19; Junaid Khan 3-41, Kashif Bhatti 2-15, Akif Javed 2-31) Player of the match – Wahab Riaz (Home City Central Punjab)

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Lahore (September 24, 2021):-PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja on Friday afternoon chaired the 24th HBL Pakistan Super League General Council meeting. Ramiz Raja highlighted and appreciated the franchisees’ contribution in the growth, development and promotion of Pakistan cricket, and assured the team owners that he remained committed to enhance and strengthen the HBL PSL brand. Ramiz Raja assured the team owners that he understood the challenges they faced and promised to work with them. The follow-up meeting is scheduled on Monday, 27 September.    

ABDULLAH ASJAD Rawalpindi (September 24, 2021):-GFS Sindh recorded their first-ever win against ATF Southern Punjab in the National T20 history courtesy Khurram Manzoor’s brilliant 84 off 49 balls in the third match of the tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Friday evening. Before today’s clash, Sindh had lost all three National T20 matches played under the revamped domestic system in the last two years. Sindh chased down the 176-run target for the loss of five wickets with Anwar Ali blazing away with 29 off nine balls (three fours, two sixes) to seal the win for his side in the company of Danish Aziz 17 not out. Anwar and Danish took 21 runs off the penultimate over of the innings bowled by pacer Mohammad Ilyas. Sindh had needed 27 runs off 12 balls at this stage. Danish finished the game with a four off the second ball of the final over. Khurram’s 84 included 10 fours and three sixes, the right-hander was in sensational batting form and remained the mainstay of Sindh’s batting effort before his run out dismissal in the 17th over. Khurram fell with Sindh needing 38 off the last 19 balls, it was the Anwar-Danish alliance that took Sindh home. Aamer Yamin, Naseem Shah and Ilyas took a wicket apiece for Southern Punjab. Batting first, Southern Punjab posted 175 for seven in their allotted 20 overs. The left-handed opening pair of Zain Abbas and Zeeshan Ashraf added 59 runs for the first-wicket. Zain was bowled by Mohammad Hasnain for 25. Zeeshan hit six fours and one six before falling to leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood. Khushdil Shah (21) hit two sixes off successive balls off Anwar Ali before falling to the pacer the next ball. Southern Punjab stuttered a bit in the middle overs as Sohaib Maqsood (18) and Azam Khan (20) were dismissed in quick succession. Aamer Yamin ensured that the team post a competitive total as he struck four sixes and two fours in his 43 off 26 balls. For Sindh, Hasnain took two wickets for 40 runs while Anwar, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zahid and Rumman Raees took a wicket each. Rumman was making his first T20 appearance after an 18-month long absence. Scores in Brief: Sindh beat Southern Punjab by five wickets ATF Southern Punjab 175 for 7, 20 overs (Aamer Yamin 43, Zeeshan Ashraf 34; Mohammad Hasnain 2-40) GFS Sindh 179 for 5 19.2 overs (Khurram Manzoor 84, Anwar Ali 29 not out; Naseem Shah 1-28) Player of the match: Khurram Manzoor

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi (September 23, 2021):-Mohammad Rizwan struck a sparkling half-century and Iftikhar Ahmed hit a quick-fire 40 not out as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa began their National T20 title defence with 36 runs victory over Home City Central Punjab in a match produced by the PCB and televised on PTV Sports. Rizwan slapped seven fours and a six in a 40-ball 65, while Iftikhar’s 25-ball 40 included six fours and a six that helped the defending champions to collect 187 for five in 20 overs after being put into bat on Thursday evening. Needing a positive and solid to stay in contention, Central Punjab lost Kamran Akmal (three) in the fourth over to Imran Khan Snr, Babar Azam (29) in the seventh over to Asif Afridi and Ahmed Shehzad (24) to Arshad Iqbal in the 10th over to slip to 71 for three at the halfway stage before finishing at 151 for nine. Mohammad Akhlaq fought a lone battle with a breezy 62, but lacked the support and big-hitting from the other end as the required run-rate continued to climb. When he eventually departed at the total of 128 in the 17th, it was all over for Central Punjab who ultimately fell 36 runs short. Akhlaq’s 35-ball cameo included six fours and four sixes. For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shaheen Shah Afridi was the pick of bowlers with three for 25, while Arshad Iqbal and Imran Khan claimed two wickets apiece. Earlier, Fakhar Zaman (26) and Rizwan provided Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a solid 67-run start before Adil Amin (18) and Rizwan stitched up a 45-run partnership for the second wicket. Iftikhar then featured in two useful stands – 39 runs for the fourth wicket with Sahibzada Farhan (12) and an unbroken 29 for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Wasim (11 not out) as the reigning champions added 91 runs in the last 10 overs to finish at 187 for five. For Central Punjab, Hasan Ali was as impressive as ever with three for 30, while Ahmed Safi Abdulllah and Wahab Riaz picked up a wicket each conceding 23 and 31 runs, respectively. Scores in Brief: Match 2 – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Home City Central Punjab by 36 runs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 187-5, 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 65, Iftikhar Ahmed 40 not out, Fakhar Zaman 26; Hasan Ali 3-30) Home City Central Punjab 151-9, 20 overs (Mohammad Akhlaq 62, Babar Azam 29, Ahmed Shehzad 24; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-25, Arshad Iqbal 2-34, Imran Khan Snr 2-37) Player of the match – Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Friday’s fixtures: GFS Sindh vs ATF Southern Punjab - 3pm Balochistan vs Home City Central Punjab - 7:30pm

By BIPIN DANI Sri Lanka Cricket (board) will send its chief selector Pramodya Wickramsinghe to the UAE for the forthcoming T-20 World Cup to be played in Oman and the UAE, it is learnt. The SLC has maintained the policy of sending at least one selector on overseas tours. Pramodya stayed with the team in the same hotel when the team played against the visiting South African team. According to the sources in the SLC, the same coaching and other support staff members which officiated in the home series against South Africa recently have been retained. The team, which will be finishing the three-day quarantine on Friday, will begin the residential training camp in small groups from Friday.  "So far all our players have tested Corona negatives and strictly follow the bio-bubbles protocols", the source added. The team will be leaving for Oman by a Chartered flight on October 3. 

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Islamabad 9September 23, 2021):-Fans around the world are invited to ‘Live the Game’ with today’s global premiere of the official anthem and promo film for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. The 16-team tournament is the biggest sports event ever in the UAE and Oman and takes place between 17 October and 14 November. Composed by renowned Bollywood music director Amit Trivedi, the animated film features young fans from all over the world immersed and engaged in explosive T20I cricket and features some of the sport’s biggest superstars.  Host nation and India captain Virat Kohli, leads the group of players brought to life as ‘avatars’ in the animation, that interact with each other throughout.  Kohli is joined by fellow captain Kieron Pollard of the reigning champions, West Indies as well as Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan.  Launched in collaboration with ICC’s global broadcast partner Star Sports, the film premiers worldwide today across ICC, BCCI, and Star Sports’ social media handles. To view the film, click here. The video is also available to download on the ICC Online Media Zone. The animation features a brand-new broadcast technology that blends both 3D and 2D effects to create the stunning film.  A production team of over 40 people, including designers, modellers, matte painters, animators, lighters, and compositors, worked round-the-clock to produce the final version. ICC T20 World Cup 2021 anthem: Live The Game The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is the pinnacle of the shortest format of cricket and returns for the first time in five years on October 17th.  The tournament promises high-octane cricket and entertainment for everyone, including families and those new to the game, with matches taking place in a safe Covid-19 environment across the UAE and Oman.  16 countries, featuring the sport’s biggest names and best teams, will compete in global cricket’s biggest event since the pandemic. Kieron Pollard, one of the biggest power-hitters of T20 cricket and captain of the reigning champions, is excited by this year's competition.  It is the return of the cricket world cup, since last year's highly successful ICC's Women's T20 World Cup, that saw 86,174 in the iconic MCG for the final, a record for attendance of any women's cricket match. “There is something magical and special about putting on the West Indies jersey and stepping onto the field. This upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will give us more special moments. We know our fans will be fully engaged, watching, and supporting and we want to give them plenty to cheer about. I’m excited about the magic moments ahead”, said Pollard. Glenn Maxwell, all-rounder, Australia one of the greatest T20I players to have ever played the game agrees. "The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is going to be one of the toughest and most exciting on record. There are so many teams that could take the trophy and every game will be like a final. We can’t wait to get started knowing the calibre of players we have." The opening fixture of the tournament takes place on Friday, 17 October as Oman take on ICC Men's T20 World Cup debutants Papua New Guinea at Muscat's Oman Cricket Academy. Sharjah Cricket Stadium and Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium are two of the three remaining host grounds, while Dubai International Stadium will be the backdrop for the final on Sunday, 14 November. Claire Furlong, ICC General Manager, Marketing and Communications said: “We are excited to be launching this film ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 which is so different to anything we have delivered before. Cricket has more than a billion fans around the world, and we wanted to put our young fans in the heart of the action alongside their heroes and allow them to live the game. Partnering with Star Sports and Amit Trivedi to create the animation and music for the campaign has given us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the fact that India are our hosts despite the event being staged in Oman and the UAE. I hope cricket fans enjoy watching and listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.” Commenting on the campaign launch, Dhiraj Malhotra, Tournament Director, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup said: “We are looking forward to hosting a spectacular tournament in the UAE and Oman and are working very closely with the ICC, ECB and Oman Cricket to keep it safe and entertaining for all. This tournament film is an invite to all our fans to come by and witness a top-class global sporting event and come live the game that we all love, with us.” Sanjog Gupta, Head – Sports, Star and Disney India, said, “The association with ICC to co-create the campaign for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup #LiveTheGame was an opportunity to create a compelling invite for young viewers around the world. Our creative team, at Star Sports, has collaborated with award-winning talent from across the globe and brought to life the animated anthem that flags off fans' journey towards the tournament. Fans' expectations from sporting experiences are evolving and we believe the future lies in personalised and immersive engagements across multiple touchpoints and varied platforms. The theme, sound and look of the campaign strive to connect with young fans who no longer want to just watch but #LiveTheGame. It also signals our commitment to a new era of Cricket experiences.” An announcement on venue capacities, ticket pricing and packaging will follow, while fans can get involved already via the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Trophy Tour, driven by Nissan. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy can be accessed virtually through a 3D augmented reality filter, housed on the official T20 World Cup Facebook and Instagram pages. The best of the fan-generated content will be collated and celebrated weekly on the T20 World Cup’s social media channels where fans can also win signed event merchandise and help to take the trophy to more cricket playing nations than ever before.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi (September 23, 2021):-Pepsi has joined hands with the Pakistan Cricket Board as title partner of the National T20. The six-team tournament commenced at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi today with the opening clash between Balochistan and Northern. PCB and Pepsi have a long-standing, time-tested partnership which will flourish further with the National T20 title partnership. The indomitable spirit of Pepsi and Pakistan cricket will be evidenced in this tournament which is in sync with Pepsi’s commitment towards promoting cricket in Pakistan. Defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa take on Home City Central Punjab in the second match of the day which begins at 7:30 PKT. Pakistan’s best shortest format players will be seen in action in the 33-match tournament. The first 18 games will be played in Rawalpindi while the last 15 matches will be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, the home of Pakistan cricket.

ABDULLAH ASJAD Rawalpindi (September 23, 2021):-Northern recorded a comfortable six-wicket win over Balochistan in the opening match of the National T20 tournament at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Thursday evening. Haider Ali and Asif Ali made light work of Northern’s 140-run chase scoring 58 not out and 43 not out and adding 51 runs for the unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership to ensure a comprehensive victory for their side with 18 balls to spare. Haider gave another glimpse of his incredible batting talent as he hit seven fours and two sixes in his 41-ball knock. Asif played the finisher’s role to perfection clubbing four sixes and three fours in his 20-ball innings, Asif finished the match with a six down the ground off pacer Akif Javed. Umar Amin (2) and Zeeshan Malik (19) fell early in Northern’s innings but Haider and Asif ensured an emphatic victory for their side with their unbeaten alliance. Batting first, Balochistan were restricted to a 139 for seven total. Sohail Tanvir got Northern off to a fine start by dismissing Balochistan captain Imam-ul-Haq for six in the opening over of the match. Fast bowler Zaman Khan who was making his debut for Northern sent Bismillah Khan packing in the fifth over with the score on 26. Young opener Abdul Wahid Bangalzai played some sparking shots in his run-a-ball 24 before falling to Mohammad Nawaz. Northern bowlers kept Balochistan in check by making regular breakthroughs in the middle-overs, Akbar-ur-Rehman (24) and Ayaz Tasawar’s (4) dismissal left Balochistan struggling at 70 for five in 12.1 overs. Balochistan were revived by a 66-run stand for the sixth-wicket between all-rounders Amad Butt and Kashif Bhatti. Amad hit two fours and two sixes in his 34 while Kashif contributed 24 off 25 balls (two sixes). Haris Rauf and Nawaz took two wickets each for Northern conceding 18 and 31 runs, respectively. Scores in Brief: Northern beat Balochistan by six wickets Balochistan 139 for 7, 20 overs (Amad Butt 34, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 24, Akbar-ur-Rehman 24; Haris Rauf 2-18, Mohammad Nawaz 2-31) Northern 140 for 4, 17 overs (Haider Ali 58 not out, Asif Ali 43 not out; Yasir Shah 1-23, Amad Butt 1-25) Player of the match: Haider Ali Friday’s matches: GFS Sindh vs ATF Southern Punjab -3pm Balochistan vs Home City Central Punjab -7:30pm

By BIPIN DANI Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has expanded its two-member selection panel to five, it is confirmed. According to Asadullah Khan, the new appointee as a director (Cricket), the existing panel of two selectors (Rashid Zardan and Mir Mubaraz) has now also three  more selectors- Mirwais Ashraf, Abdullah Mazari and Noor Ul Haq) in the panel. "Will announce the name of the chief selector soon", Asadullah Khan, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Kabul, said. Khan, who has an extensive experience of working for over 20 years with the ACB combinely at various positions as coach and Performance analyst with the national team and also attended the ICC's High performance meeting. "We are retaining the same coaching staff for the World Cup. Lance Klussner will be the head coach and Shaun Tait as our bowling coach". ""We have not appointed any batting coach yet but Navroz Mangal will be an assistant coach", he signed off. Naseeb Khan has recently been appointed the new CEO, replacing Dr. Hamid Shinwari. 

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi (September 22, 2021):-The captains of the six participating teams of the National T20 have urged fans in Rawalpindi and Lahore, to rally behind the tournament which showcases the best of Pakistan’s T20 talent. All 18 Pakistan players (including the three travelling reserves) part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup touring party will be seen in action in the tournament that runs from 23 September to 13 October. The first leg will run until 3 October at Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Stadium, before the action moves to Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan’s home of cricket, where the second leg will be staged from 6-13 October. Nearly PKR9million prize money will be up for grabs in the National T20.PKR5million will be awarded to the winners while the runner-up will receive PKR2.5million. PKR400,000 will be shared equally between the tournament’s top performers which include player of the tournament, best batsman of the tournament, best bowler of the tournament and best wicketkeeper of the tournament. The best performer of every match will get PKR25,000 as the man-of-the-match award while the top performer of the tournament’s finale will be rewarded PKR35,000. Meanwhile, all six squads are packed with quality T20 performers and form a great blend of youth and experience. Balochistan will be led by Pakistan ODI batter Imam-ul-Haq, the southpaw will rely on the experience of batters like Haris Sohail, Akbar-ur-Rehman and the flair of Pakistan U19 opener Abdul Wahid Bangalzai. Balochistan also possess a quality bowling attack with the likes of Junaid Khan, Umaid Asif, Khurram Shehzad, Amad Butt, Akif Javed, Yasir Shah and Kashif Bhatti at Imam’s disposal. Balochistan –Imam-ul-Haq: “This event is just like a mini-Pakistan Super League with the quality and competition on display. This tournament will be a wonderful preparation opportunity for the players who are in the T20 World Cup squad as all six teams will go all-out for glory. “The Rawalpindi crowd is passionate about the game and they never let us down with their backing of players and quality cricket. I am sure they are disappointed due to New Zealand’s withdrawal from their tour, but I request them to turn-up as all six teams will try their best to entertain them with quality cricket in the Rawalpindi-leg.” Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam leads a star-studded Home City Central Punjab outfit that includes seasoned T20 campaigners like Ahmed Shehzad, Hussain Talat, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik who will form the batting fulcrum for the side along with Babar. Babar who will be captaining Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, also has an experienced and incredibly potent bowling attack under him in the shape of Ehsan Adil, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz and Waqas Maqsood. Pakistan U19 captain Qasim Akram and top-order batter Abdullah Shafique are the two youngsters who would be hoping to make a big impression in the tournament. All-rounder Faheem Ashraf will lend balance to the side with his hard-hitting batting and seam bowling. Home City Central Punjab –Babar Azam: “The quality of cricket is very high in the National T20 events, backed by the outstanding pitches at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, the Rawalpindi-leg should produce wonderful entertainment. For us, the event is a great opportunity for T20 World Cup preparations and I hope all players in the UAE-bound squad will give it their all in the event. We have a richly experienced side that is full of international stars, my aim would be to lead Central Punjab to the title and improve on our performances in the last two seasons. “I want to request to the fans especially in Rawalpindi to turn up and make full use of the 25 per cent attendance, I know there is a real disappointment after the setback last weekend; this event provides us a real opportunity of proving to the world our passion for cricket. Fans should come and support all the six sides, we all are endeavouring to entertain them and the ones who will follow us through the TV and digital media coverage all around the world.” The defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are led by Pakistan all-format wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan has a quality batting line-up in his ranks which will be led by him and Fakhar Zaman. Iftikhar Ahmed, Mussadiq Ahmed and Sahibzada Farhan provide further batting depth. Budding wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Haris and all-rounder Mohammad Wasim will be the youngsters to watch out for in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa line-up. Pakistan’s pace bowling spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the KP attack, Arshad Iqbal, Imran Khan Snr, Asif Afridi and Mohammad Imran Khan are the other bowlers Rizwan would be pinning his hopes on. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa –Mohammad Rizwan: “The tournament provides us a great opportunity to prove to the world that we are as safe as any cricketing destination, all the players are motivated to go a step extra this time around in the National T20. The Pindi crowd is a passionate crowd which supports cricket and has always come in its numbers to back our national events. “All six teams are balanced, as defending champions our aim would be to defend our title. We have good quality all-rounders in our squad and that should help us as you do need capable back-up bowling options at times besides your main bowling attack.” The Shadab Khan-led Northern is another potent squad in the tournament, the winners of the first edition of the revamped National T20 (2019), have a great mix of dynamic batters and bowlers who have the potential of totally dominating their opponents on their day. Shadab will have the services of big-hitting batters like Haider Ali, Asif Ali, Zeeshan Malik and Sohail Akhtar. All-rounders like the seasoned Imad Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz along with Shadab himself lend great balance to the team. Northern also possess a fiery pace attack with Haris Rauf, Musa Khan, Salman Irshad and Zaman Khan capable of bowling over 140 kph consistently with the wily left-armer Sohail Tanvir set to spearhead the attack with his wealth of T20 experience. Imad, Nawaz and Shadab provide Northern, quality spin bowling options. Northern –Shadab Khan: “The Pindi Cricket Stadium is my home ground and I started playing here as a kid. The crowd in Rawalpindi has always supported quality cricket and I know while the fans are a bit disappointed at the cancellation of the New Zealand series they would come to the venue to back our national event. “We have a quality bowling attack as most of our bowlers are Pakistan regulars in white-ball formats. The tournament will surely help us in the preparations for the T20 World Cup, there would be great competition too as all six teams have good depth and quality players in their ranks. I am hopeful that we can repeat the 2019 performances and win the trophy once again.” Sarfaraz Ahmed-led GFS Sindh have a solid batting line-up that can post big totals. The top-order of Khurram Manzoor, Sharjeel Khan, Ahsan Ali and Shan Masood (transferred from Southern Punjab) will provide the firepower with Danish Aziz likely to get the finisher’s task, a job he repeatedly performed successfully in the last edition of the tournament. Sindh also possess a potent bowling attack which will be spearheaded by pacers Shahnawaz Dahani and Mohammad Hasnain with the left-armer Rumman Raees making a comeback after regaining full fitness, Rumman last appeared in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 for Islamabad United more than 18 months ago. Spinners Abrar Ahmed and Zahid Mahmood provide further variation and depth to the Sindh squad. GFS Sindh – Sarfaraz Ahmed: “Our fans have always been our strength and while we are going through another tough phase at the moment, it is the fans who can lift us up, the fans need to support the team and the PCB and show the world how resilient we are. I request the fans to turn up at the venue and back the players as they will be given quality entertainment in this quality tournament. “The tournament will also provide great practice and preparation opportunities to the T20 World Cup bound players. I am happy with the Sindh combination, the team played well last season and made it to the semi-finals, this year around we are aiming to go better and make it to the event final and lift the trophy.” ATF Southern Punjab are led by Sohaib Maqsood, the hard-hitting top-order batter had an excellent run in the event last year and was one of the reasons of his side’s entry into the final. Sohaib who is part of the Pakistan ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad has other attacking batting options in his squad, the left-hander Zeeshan Ashraf and the right-hander Azam Khan (transferred from Sindh) can also keep wickets besides hitting it big. The left-hander Khushdil Shah will be tasked to provide big runs at a high strike rate in the middle-order. All-rounders Aamer Yamin, Imran Randhawa and Hassan Khan (transferred from Sindh) provide depth to the squad. Sohaib also has a potent bowling attack at his disposal with Naseem Shah (transferred from Central Punjab), Mohammad Ilyas and Dilbar Hussain spearheading the attack. Young spinner Umer Khan and Faisal Akram provide exciting left-arm-spin orthodox and unorthodox options. ATF Southern Punjab –Sohaib Maqsood: “While there is real disappointment due to the recent developments, it is the fans who will lift us and provide the backing we need. The National T20 is a quality tournament that provides rich entertainment to the fans, I really hope that we will see the fans show their passion in Rawalpindi and Lahore. “While all six teams are well-balanced, I am very excited about the Southern Punjab squad as their leader. We have prepared really well at the pre-season camp and while I was not part of the camp, I have nonetheless heard and observed a real commitment, hunger and focus amongst the players for the upcoming events starting with the National T20. Last year we played the final and this year we plan to go one step better and lift the trophy.”