Wolves face Panthers as Champions Cup begins in Faisalabad today

LAHORE: Champions One-Day Cup Tournament begins at Iqbal Stadium Faosdalabad on Tuesday with captains of the rival teams Mohammad Rizwan (Wolves) and Shadab Khan (Panthers)eager to lead their respective sides to victory this high-stakes tournament.

Mohammad Rizwan, who will be captaining the Wolves under the mentorship of Misbah-ul-Haq, expressed his enthusiasm for leading a team that feels like home. “It is heartening to see a highly competitive domestic tournament like the Champions One-Day Cup coming to life in Faisalabad. I’m excited to be leading the Wolves, which is like a home team as our academy is based in this vibrant city,” Rizwan shared.

Rizwan also highlighted the unique blend of international and young players in the tournament, noting that this mix of experience and fresh talent sets the Champions One-Day Cup apart from other domestic competitions.

Shadab Khan was all hopeful of doing well with former Pakistan coach Saqlain Mushtaq as mentor. Shadab praised the timing of the Champions One-Day Cup, acknowledging its importance in preparing players for the demanding white-ball challenges ahead, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. “This tournament will help most of the players to find their momentum right at the start of the season,” he remarked.

With both captains focused on leading by example and fostering team spirit, the Champions One-Day Cup promises to be a thrilling competition that will showcase the best of Pakistan’s domestic cricket talent.

Squads :Wolves: Mohammad Rizwan (captain, Peshawar), Fakhar Zaman (Abbottabad), Abdul Samad (Faisalabad), Akif Javed (FATA), Ali Usman (Multan), Bilawal Bhatti (Muridke), Haseebullah (Pishin), Iftikhar Ahmed (Peshawar), Kamran Ghulam (Peshawar), Mohammad Faizan (Faisalabad), Mohammad Imran Jnr (Peshawar), Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (FATA), Muhammad Imran (Khanewal), Naseem Shah (Lahore), Nisar Ahmed (Lahore), Salman Ali Agha (Lahore), Shahnawaz Dahani (Larkana), Zahid Mehmood (Dadu) and Zain Abbas (Multan).

Panthers Squad: Shadab Khan (captain, Islamabad), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Ahmed Bashir (Lahore), Ali Asfand (Faisalabad), Ali Raza (Sheikhupura), Amad Butt (Sialkot), Arafat Minhas (Multan), Azan Awais (Sialkot), Haider Ali (Attock), Mohammad Hasnain (Hyderabad), Mohammad Umar (Karachi), Mohammad Zeeshan (Faisalabad), Mubasir Khan (Rawalpindi), Rehan Afridi (Khyber), Rizwan Mehmood (Hyderabad), Saim Ayub (Karachi), Umar Siddiq (Lahore), Usama Mir (Sialkot), Usman Khan (Karachi) and Usman Salahuddin (Lahore).