KG Ramazan Festival T20 formally inaugurated

KARACHI: The 33rd Karachi Gymkhana Ramazan Festival Twenty20 for the Omar Associates Trophy was inaugurated formally by Nadeem Omar, president-elect of Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), and Akbar Iqbal Puri, president of Karachi Gymkhana, here on Monday.

Earlier, the details of the four-week event were unveiled at a media briefing by Akhtar Munir, the club’s Convener Sports, and Test umpire Riazuddin. Ambreen Saqib Tapal, vice president of Karachi Gymkhana, was also present on the occasion alongwith Fawad Saleem Malik, the tournament director and a past president of the club.

The prize money of the tournament has been increased to more than Rs1.6 million. The winners will be pocketing Rs800,000, while the runners-up will be collecting Rs400,000 and the losing semi-finalists will be getting Rs50,000 each.

Individual awards of Rs313,000 will be also be disbursed among the outstanding performers. The Man of the Tournament will be receiving Rs25,000, while the best batsman, the best bowler, the best fielder and the best wicketkeeper will be given Rs15,000 each.

Last year’s champions Advance Telecom and losing semi-finalists Dollar East have not entered the competition this time but there are some new outfits, including Quetta Gladiators Academy.

As in the past, the tournament is being contested by a total of 16 teams, divided in four groups for the preliminary rounds at the end of which the top teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.

According to the draws, last year’s runners-up Tapal Cricket Club have been placed in the Group A alongwith debutants Quetta Gladiators Academy, Momin Seeds Cricket Club and Sindh Police.

The Group B has Omar Cricket Club, Acme Technologies, Emerging Cricketers Academy and SUPARCO Sports.Hosts Karachi Gymkhana, Mateen Enterprises, Qasmi Gymkhana and Ashfaq Memorial Hospital have been drawn in the Group C. Last year’s losing semi-finalists New Al Habib Cricket Club feature in the Group D in the company of Agha Steel, Dubai Hawks and Heroes Cricket Club Quetta.