Sports Bulletin

Sports DeskISLAMABAD: The 15th edition of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is around the corner, with emerging talents from 16 teams gearing up to compete for the coveted title in South Africa. The tournament began in 1988, and has seen seven different winners in the 14 editions so far. India lead the way with five titles to their name, followed by Australia (3), Pakistan (2), Bangladesh, South Africa, West Indies and England (1 each).1988 (Winners: Australia): The inaugural edition of the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, then known as the Youth World Cup, was hosted to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary in the land Down Under. Hosts Australia defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets in the final to win the inaugural edition of the tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 1988: Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Chris Cairns, Mushtaq Ahmed, Sanath Jayasuriya, Brian Lara.1998 (Winners: England): It took another 10 years before another edition of the U19 World Cup was played and it was South Africa who were hosting an ICC tournament for the very first time. The number of teams doubled from the first edition, with 16 teams participating in the tournament.England triumphed over New Zealand in the finale by seven wickets at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, their maiden and only U19 World Cup win to date.Notable international stars from the Class of 1998: Graeme Swann, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Collins Obuya, Kyle Mills, Imran Tahir, Shoaib Malik, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan.2000 (Winners: India): Sri Lanka hosted the third edition of the tournament, where neighbours India got their hands on the trophy for the first time – a feat they went on to achieve four more times – after defeating the hosts by six wickets in the Final.Yuvraj Singh was named the Player of the Tournament, a feat he famously repeated 11 years later at the highest level as India lifted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. South Africa’s Graeme Smith finished as the leading run-getter.Notable international stars from the Class of 2000: Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson, Ian Bell, Yuvraj Singh, Niall O'Brien, Brendon McCullum, Graeme Smith, Jonathan Trott, Tatenda Taibu.2002 (Winners: Australia): Australia were crowned two-time Champions in a tournament hosted by their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand for the very first time. Demonstrating their dominance, Australia maintained an undefeated record throughout the competition and sealed their triumph with a seven-wicket win over South Africa in the final.Notable international stars from the Class of 2002: Cameron White, George Bailey, Mashrafe Mortaza, Suresh Raina, Ross Taylor, Umar Gul, Kyle Coetzer, Hashim Amla, Upul Tharanga, Dwayne Bravo, Daren Sammy.2004 (Winners: Pakistan): The fifth edition of the U19 World Cup, hosted by Bangladesh, marked the debut of Uganda in the tournament. A new winner was guaranteed after two first-time finalists emerged. Pakistan got their hands on the trophy for the first time, clinching the title after beating West Indies in the final in Dhaka.Notable international stars from the Class of 2004: Alastair Cook, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Eoin Morgan, Wahab Riaz, Vernon Philander, Angelo Mathews, Craig Ervine.2006 (Winners: Pakistan): In a historic achievement, Pakistan became the first team to successfully defend their U19 Cricket World Cup title by defeating arch-rivals India in the final held in Colombo.Pakistan were given no chance after they set India a target of just 110 in the finale. However, they delivered a remarkable bowling performance, dismantling the Indian batting lineup with the first six wickets falling for a mere nine runs. India were ultimately bowled out for 71, securing Pakistan's back-to-back titles and cementing their place in history. Cheteshwar Pujara was the leading run-scorer and the Player of the Tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2006: Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Moeen Ali, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Tim Southee, Sarfraz Ahmed, Dean Elgar, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard.2008 (Winners: India): India’s misery in 2006 turned to glory in 2008 when they got their hands on the trophy for the second time under the leadership of the flamboyant Virat Kohli.India remained undefeated in the tournament, beating South Africa by 12 runs in a rain-truncated game decided by DLS. The 2008 U19 World Cup is widely remembered for catapulting three of the modern-day ‘Fab Four’ into the limelight. Kane Williamson was the opposite number to Virat Kohli in the semi-final while Steve Smith, then known more for his all-round ability, made an impact with the bat and ball throughout the tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2008: Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Chris Woakes, Virat Kohli, Paul Stirling, Kane Williamson, Shan Masood, Kusal Perera, Darren Bravo.2010 (Winners: Australia): In a repeat of what happened in 2002, Australia won the U19 World Cup hosted by neighbours New Zealand. It was a low-scoring affair in the final, with Josh Hazlewood’s four-wicket haul helping Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, defend a target of 208 against Pakistan.Notable international stars from the Class of 2010: Hashmatullah Shahidi, Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, KL Rahul, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Zampa, Tom Latham, Babar Azam, Jason Holder2012 (Winners: India): The U19 Cricket World Cup returned to Australia for the first time since its inaugural edition. In the final held in Queensland, India secured a six-wicket victory over the host country, Australia, marking their third U19 World Cup triumph and matching their feat from the inaugural edition.Notable international stars from the Class of 2012: Travis Head, Imam-ul-Haq, Ish Sodhi, Akeal Hosein, Ryan Burl, Litton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Gerhard Erasmus.2014 (Winners: South Africa): South Africa enjoyed an unbeaten run en route to their maiden U19 Cricket World Cup title. They defeated Pakistan by six wickets in Dubai to get their hands on the trophy. Aiden Markram played a pivotal role in the final, leading by example with a score of 66* and earning the additional honour of being named the Player of the Tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2014: Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Nicholas Pooran, Kyle Jamieson, Kusal Mendis, Shimron Hetmyer.2016 (Winners: West Indies): The 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup returned to Bangladesh for the first time since the 2004 edition. Defending champions South Africa faced an unexpected exit in the group stages, succumbing to surprise defeats against Bangladesh and Namibia. The final showdown featured West Indies and India, with the West Indies securing their first U19 World Cup title with a five-wicket victory in Dhaka after a gritty display by their batters.Notable international stars from the Class of 2016: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rashid Khan, Shadab Khan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Alzarri Joseph, Rishabh Pant, Josh Little, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra.2018 (Winners: India): New Zealand became the first country to host the U19 World Cup thrice, having previously held the tournament in 2002 and 2010. For the second year in a row, the defending champions, this time West Indies, crashed out of the group stages. In the final, India beat Australia by eight wickets to become four-time champions, the most by any side. Notable international stars from the Class of 2018: Gerald Coetzee, Alick Athanaze, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Towhid Hridoy, Harry Brook, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Harry Tector, Shaheen Afridi.2020 (Winners: Bangladesh): The 2020 U19 World Cup witnessed Bangladesh securing their first-ever victory in an ICC event at any level. Finalists India showcased their supremacy throughout the tournament under the leadership of Priyam Garg. Breaking records became a routine for his team as they overwhelmed Japan, securing victory with a remarkable 271 balls to spare — the second-highest record in Youth ODIs to date.Additionally, India achieved the distinction of being the first and only team, to date, to surpass 200 victories at the U19 level during the course of the tournament. However, on the day of the final, Bangladesh triumphed over powerhouse India in a tense, low-scoring clash, with a three-wicket win by the DLS method. Notable international stars from the Class of 2020: Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tanveer Sangha, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Wasim, Matheesha Pathirana, Jayden Seales.2022 (Winners: India): West Indies hosted the U19 Cricket World Cup for the first time in history. One of the biggest highlights of the tournament was the performance of Afghanistan, who made it past the group stage and went into the semi-final for the very first time, beating Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka along the way.Having faltered in the previous edition on the last step, India redeemed themselves by securing the title against England in the final, marking their fifth U19 World Cup triumph.The event unfolded amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to New Zealand's withdrawal due to stringent quarantine restrictions. Scotland stepped in as a replacement in the tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2022: Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rehan Ahmed, Dunith Wellalage, Dewald Brevis. 

By BIPIN DANIRiyaz Aluher, the mentor of Sineth Jayawardena, who has been appointed the captain of Sri Lanka Squad for ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2024 believes that the 19-year-old right-arm off-spinner will bring glory to our Royal College. Riyaz Aluher is the assistant principal and in-charge of 35 sports at the college, where Sineth is studying. Speaking exclusively, he said, "Sineth is in his Advanced Level class. He missed his Advanced Level examination this year due to his national commitments but I am sure he will bring glory to the college". "He is presently the captain of our Royal College. Our college annually plays a three-day traditional cricket match against Thomas College. This year, it will be the 145th uninterrupted occasion and it is the longest school's encounter in the world". "In 1979, on the 100th year, our college team was led by Ranjan Madugalle, who is the ICC's chief match referee. The Sri Lankan president His Excellency Hon. Ranil Wichramsinghe and the Prime Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardana are also the sons of our College". "Royal–Thomian (the Battle of the Blues), commonly known simply as the Royal-Thomian, the cricket match has been played by the schools since 1879. This annual cricket match is played for the D. S. Senanayake Memorial Shield, and is affectionately known as the Battle of the Blues due to the colours of each school's flag"."The Royal-Thomian is the second-longest uninterrupted Cricket series in the entire world, preceded only by the Cricket Intercol played between Prince Alfred College, Adelaide and St. Peter's College, Adelaide, whose first match was played in 1878". "We hope our college captain Sineth will lead the national senior team soon in the future", he signed off.  

HBL PSL-9 to start on February 17, Gaddafi, and Pindi Stadium to host 9 matchesAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi will host 34 matches of PSL Season-9 and the prestigious cricket league will be kicked off on February 17, 2024 at the Qaddafi Cricket Stadium Lahore with the match between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United.Chair of PCB Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf said: “We are thrilled to announce that the HBL Pakistan Super League's ninth edition is set to kick off on February 17, showcasing the best of T20 cricket in four cities across Pakistan. The decision to host the marquee event across these cities is a testament to our commitment to bring top-notch cricket to fans across the country. We believe that hosting matches in these venues not only adds to the excitement for fans but also promotes cricket at the grassroots level. As we gear up for this spectacular event, we look forward to witnessing thrilling action and creating unforgettable moments for cricket enthusiasts worldwide.”Schedule of MatchesFebruary 17, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 18, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium Lahore; Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 19, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 20, 2024 Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 21, 2024 Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium Lahore; Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 22, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 23, 2024 Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 24, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 25, 2024 Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 26, 2024 Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 27, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 28, 2024 Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Bank StadiumFebruary 29, 2024 Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Stadium                        March 2, 2024   Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 3, 2024   Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, National Bank StadiumMarch 4, 2024   Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 5, 2024   Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 6, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 7, 2024   Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 8, 2024   Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 9, 2024   Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank StadiumMarch 10, 2024 Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank StadiumMarch 11, 2024 Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank StadiumMarch 12, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, National Bank Stadium                      March 14, 2024 Qualifier (1 v 2), National Bank StadiumMarch 15, 2024 Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), National Bank StadiumMarch 16, 2024 Eliminator 2 (Eliminator Winner v Qualifier Runner-up), National Bank StadiumMarch 18, 2024 Final, National Bank Stadium

Tournament to start on January 15 in twin cities Rawalpindi and IslamabadSports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The six teams will fight for the top honour of the National Women’s T20 Tournament 2024, which will start on January 15 (Monday) at the three different cricket venues of twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad simultaneously. Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, and Rawalpindi will play against each other during the 17-day fixture.The winning team will receive PKR one million, while the runners-up will get PKR 0.5 million, as the player of the tournament will be awarded PKR50,000, and Player of the match in each game will receive PKR20,000. The tournament’s top performers, best batter, best bowler, and best wicket-keeper, will get PKR 25,000.Squads:Karachi Region: Fatima Sana (Captain), Aimen Anwar, Aroob Shah, Esha Rahupoto, Hurraina Sajjad, Javeria Khan, Laiba Fatima, Maham Manzoor, Maham Tariq, Masooma Jaffri, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Yusra Amir and Zunaira ShahTeam Management: Tahir Khan (Head Coach), Jaweria Rauf (Assistant Coach), Sehar Syed (Physio), Taimoor Mehmood (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Shagufta Kazmi (Manager)Lahore Region: Nida Dar (Captain), Ayesha Zafar, Amber Kainaat, Areesha Noor, Bismah Maroof, Fatima Khan, Fatima Shahid, Ghulam Fatima, Iram Javed, Kainat Hafeez, Nashra Sundhu, Noreen Yaqoob, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz and Zunash Abdul SattarTeam management: Mohsin Kamal (Head Coach), Tahir Mehmood (Assistant Coach), Iraj Athar (Physio), Asfand Yar Khan (Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Hina Azam (Manager)Multan Region: Umm-e-Hani (Captain), Aisha Bilal, Aleena Masood, Amber Maria, Asma Shareef, Gul-e-Uswa, Gul Feroza, Gul Rukh, Noor Ul Eman, Rehmat Noreen, Saiqa Riaz, Samina Aftab, Shahmeer Rajput, Tasmia Rubab, Wajeeha Muneer and Warda YousafTeam Management: Kamran Hussain (Head Coach), Maria Gulnaz (Assistant Coach), Laila Niaz Khan (Physio), Pervaiz Nabi (Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Najma Zafar (Manager)Peshawar Region: Aleena Shah (Captain), Anaya Khan, Ayesha Afridi, Fatima Zeb, Javeria Qamar, Mahnoor Hayat, Mahnoor Qayum, Momina Riyasat, Nayab Ishaq, Rahyma Syed, Salwa Raheem, Seema Gul, Sehar Gull, Shabnam Hayat, Sumbal Bibi and Tehzeeb ShahTeam Management: Hajra Sarwar (Head Coach), Rehmat Gul (Assistant Coach), Rummana Zubair (Physio), Fazal Wahab (Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Haseena Khushboo (Manager)Quetta Region: Saima Malik (Captain), Anum Amin, Ayesha Asim, Dua Majid, Faiza, Fareeha Mehmood, Humaira Ghulam, Jannat Rashid, Khadija Chishti, Khair-u-Nisa, Khizra Liaqat, Lubaba Sarwar, Nida, Subhana Tariq, Tuba Hassan and Zamar ShafeeTeam Management: Aqil Baloch (Head Coach), Nahida Bibi (Assistant Coach), Mahnoor Sajjad (Physio), Mujahid Shah (Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Hajira Baloch (Manager)Rawalpindi Region: Aliya Riaz (Captain), Aima Saleem Satti, Areeja Haseeb, Fajar Naveed, Farzana Farooq, Fatima Syed, Fatima Zehra Shah, Humna Bilal, Kainat Gulalai, Lubna Behram, Natalia Parvaiz, Noor Fatima, Sania Rasheed, Tania Saeed, Waheeda Akhtar and Zainab Arif JuttTeam Management: Jawad Hamid (Head Coach), Waqar Orakzai (Assistant Coach), Tehreem Sumbal (Physio), Farrukh Hayat (Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Saira Iftikhar (Manager)

Sports Bulletin ReportAuckland (New Zeeland): Pakistan are well-prepared to take on New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, which will be rolled into action on 12 January at Eden Park in Auckland. The first ball of the match will be bowled at 1110 PKT. This will mark left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first assignment as captain, having taken over the reins from Babar Azam.Fourth-ranked Pakistan last played T20Is back in April 2023, when they faced New Zealand at home for a five-match series played in Lahore and Rawalpindi. Wicketkeepe-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who has been named Shaheen’s vice-captain, was Pakistan’s leading run-getter in the series. Right-arm pacer Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler during that assignment.Pakistan’s squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicket-keeper), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wicket-keeper), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jounior, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan.

Bipin DaniThe family of Janith Liyanage has no regrets about missing him by 5 runs on Monday. Sri Lanka's 28-year-old batting all-rounder scored 95 runs, which included 2 sixes. Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo on Tuesday, Janith's sister, Nimanka said, "we have no regrets regarding him missing a century because his target was to lead the score and he played his part for the country". He tried to do what was required from him at that time. Representing the country has always been his dream". "We are proud of him, playing in his 2nd ODI, he was instrumental in the team's victory", the sister added. "Icing on the cake was he getting the Player of the Match award". Janith's father is a businessman running a small food stall. His mother is a house maker. Nimanka is an elder sister. Janith has one more sister, too. The family watched the match on the TV. 

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Kashmir Blinds’ cricket team outplayed Islamabad by 5 wickets in the final of the T20 Cricket Championships Trophy here at E-9 cricket ground on Wednesday.Islamabad decided to bat first after winning the toss and set a 259 for 6 runs total on the board. Akmal scored 88 runs and shahzaib scored quick 74 runs off 32 balls for Islamabad. In reply, Kashmir chased the target just 2 balls earlier for the loss of 5 wickets captain Nisar scored an innings of 172 off 73 balls. Kashmir won the match by 5 wickets. Shahzaib, Matiullah and Fakhar Abbas shared wicket a piece from Islamabad.NISAR Ali was named man of the match. Riasat Khan from Abbottabad was awarded best player in B1 Category, Kamran Akhtar was awarded best player in B2 Category, Mohammad Rashid was awarded best player in B3 Category and NISAR Ali was awarded best Wicket-Keeper of the tournament award.According to an official of the Islamabad Blinds Cricket Association (IBCA), local media was not allowed to cover this event. 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Women’s National Selection Committee of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) headed by former Test cricketer Saleem Jaffar has selected 23 girls for the upcoming T20 tri-series in Cox’s Bazar. The T20 tournament will be played in Bangladesh. Hosts Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lankan will fight for the top honour, as the double round-robin basis with the participating teams playing four matches each. The top two will play final.Names of selected players: Aleesa Mukhtiar, Anosha Nasir, Areesha Ansari, Eyman Fatima, Haleema Dua Zafar, Haniah Ahmer, Kainat Eiman, Komal Khan, Laiba Nasir, Maham Anees, Mahnoor Aftab, Memoona Khalid, Mubeen Ahmed, Muqadas Bukhari, Muskan Abid, Ravail Farhan, Rida Aslam, Samiya Afsar, Sana Talib, Syeda Taskyn Fatima, Tayyaba Imdad, Zaib-un-Nisa and Zoofishan AyyazTeam Management: Wasim Yousafi (Head Coach), Aisha Jalil (Manager), Shakir Qayyum (Assistant Coach), Zulfiqar Babar (Spin Bowling Coach), Mohammad Ramzan (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Mohammad Usman Shahid (Analyst) and Rabia Siddiq (Physio).

Hosts Islamabad to face Kashmir in the final today at E-9 PAF cricket groundSports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Kashmir and Islamabad have won their last league matches to confirm to play the final of the PAF T20 Cricket Championships Trophy for the Blind 2024 here at E-9 cricket ground on Tuesday. The final will be played on Wednesday at the same venue.In the first match, Kashmir got a convincing victory over Abbottabad by 7 wickets. Abbottabad scored 215 in 20 overs. Risat Khan scored 82 runs from Abbottabad. In reply, Kashmir easily chased the target in 12.3 overs for the loss of 5 wickets Kamran Akhtar scored 97 and Rashid scored 75 not out runs. Kamran was named man of the match.In the second match, Islamabad won the toss and decided to bat first. Islamabad scored 265 runs in the allotted 20 overs without loss of any wicket. Shahzaib scored 120 runs not off 58 balls and Akmal scored 117 after facing 65 balls. In reply, Bahawalpur could manage 232 runs for the loss of 9 wickets and Islamabad won the match with 33 runs. Mohammad Rashid was the top scorer with 47 runs. Hasnain took 2 wickets. Shahzaib, and Anees claimed one wicket a piece. Shahzaib Haider was awarded Man of the Match on his notable performance.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The International League (ILT20) unveiled the commentators for Season 2, as the former Pakistani pacers Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhter will be part of the panel.The voices behind some of the most iconic moments in the sport in recent years Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Rohan Gavaskar, Saba Karim, Nikhil Chopra, Vivek Razdan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar will be joined by Alan Wilkins, Simon Doull, Daren Ganga, Danny Morrison and Niall O’Brien.Wasim Akram said: “I am truly thrilled to be part of the commentary team for the second season of DP World ILT20. The three iconic venues in the UAE will serve as the canvas for some of the most prominent T20 stars to showcase their talent.”Waqar Younis said: “DP World ILT20 is truly a cricketing rendezvous, featuring a mix of seasoned players and rising stars, making the league a must-watch for cricket enthusiasts globally. It is a celebration of cricketing diversity, with an array of player and team rivalries. I am very excited to be part of the commentators’ panel for the upcoming edition.”The tournament will be rolled into action from 19th January at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium with a clash between defending champions Gulf Giants and Sharjah Warriors.