Pakistan Cup begins today

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cup 2022-2023 will explode into action here at different venues on Saturday (today).

On the opening day of the six-team event on Saturday three matches will be conducted.

Defending champions Balochistan will be pitted against Northern here at the NBP Sports Complex while Southern Punjab will take on Sindh here at the UBL Sports Complex. In the third show of the day, former champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will face Central Punjab here at the SBP Sports Complex.

The one-day event will be held on double league basis with the top four outfits progressing to the semi-finals which will be held at the National Bank Cricket Arena on January 1 and January 2. The final will be conducted on January 3 at the same venue.

Balochistan will be led by the Test leggie Yasir Shah who played a key role in guiding his side to the title victory in the previous edition.

In the last edition final held at the Multan Cricket Stadium on April 1, 2022, Balochistan toppled KP by eight wickets.

Aamir Yamin will captain Central Punjab. Khalid Usman, the left-arm spinner, will lead Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Umar Amin will lead Northern. Omair bin Yousuf will skipper Sindh. Hasan Ali will lead Southern Punjab.

The event will provide an ideal platform to the players to press for seats in the Pakistan's white-ball squad which will play a series against New Zealand here next month.

The tournament carries over Rs9 million in prize money. The winners will bag Rs5 million while the runners-up will receive Rs2.5 million.

Meanwhile, Cricket Associations Challenge 2022-2023 (one-day event) will also start from Saturday (today) here at various venues. Holders Sindh will take on Southern Punjab here at the TMC Ground.