Key players to miss Super Eight T20 Tournament

KARACHI: Some of the specialist players of different sides will be missing out because of their professional commitments abroad and injuries to some of them when the Super Eight T20 Cricket Tournament will be held at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from May 11 to 18.
Star all-rounder Shahid Afridi’s absence due to his English county commitment is a real blow for Karachi Dolphins as they start their campaign on May 12 with their outing against holders Lahore Lions.
A few of Karachi players including Khurram Manzoor, Fawad Alam, Mir Hamza and leg-spinner Shahzaib Ahmed are part of Pakistan A squad currently playing a four-day three match series against Sri Lanka.
But still Dolphins’ coach Tauseef Ahmed hopes his side will deliver.
“No doubt the absence of seniors and particularly Afridi will make a difference. But still we have a balanced side. We also have Anwar Ali and Mohammad Sami, while Mohammad Waqas and Fazal-e-Subhan are also fine batsmen,” Tauseef told ‘The News’ on Friday.
Test gloveman Sarfraz Ahmed will lead Dolphins which also carries in-form Asad Shafiq, Shahzaib Hasan, Ramiz Raja, Faraz Ahmed and Abdul Ameer.
Tauseef was quick to add that it was a fine opportunity for the youngsters to showcase their talent.
“Qualifying for the Champions League in case of a title victory is also a big motivation and I feel the players are also eager to deliver,” Tauseef said. He said Sarfraz and Asad Shafiq would be able to reach from Bangladesh for their first match.
“We have not picked another wicket-keeper because we have been informed that Sarfraz will be available for our first game against Lahore Lions,” added Tauseef, a former Test spinner.
Meanwhile Rawalpindi Rams will miss their three key players Awais Zia, Umar Amin and Yasir Arafat.
“Yasir is engaged in county cricket, while Awais has left for England to play league. Amin is with Pakistan A squad in Sri Lanka,” Rams coach Sabih Azhar said.
“The absence of key players will definitely be felt,” Azhar said.
But Rams will have the services of left-arm Test pacer Mohammad Amir who has recently also played in the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II for Omar Associates after he was allowed by the ICC to play domestic cricket following a five-year ban because of his involvement in spot-fixing.
“It would be seen how Amir will perform,” said Azhar. Sohail Tanvir will lead Rams.
Holders Lahore Lions seem to be the strongest side of the eight-day competitions. Discarded Test gloveman Kamran Akmal will lead Lions which will also carry Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Nasir Jamshed and Wahab Riaz.
“We will miss only Umar Siddiq who is in Sri Lanka,” Lahore Region’s President Khawaja Nadeem Ahmed said.
“We have a strong side and I am confident the team will defend the title,” Nadeem added.
Multan Tigers will be the weakest side of the event because they will be missing their three key players including Test pacer Mohammad Irfan, Sohaib Maqsood and Rahat Ali because of injuries.
The team will be led by wicket-keeper batsman Gulraiz Sadaf which also includes Zulfiqar Babar, Naveed Yasin and Aamir Yamin.
Misbah-ul-Haq will lead Faisalabad Wolves, which will also have the services of Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Talha.
“We have a balanced side. Misbah is also in top form. I am confident our team will exploit home conditions,” Faisalabad Region’s chief Hamid Mansoor said.
Younis Khan will lead Abbottabad Falcons which will also feature Yasir Hameed, Junaid Khan, Yasir Shah, Ahmed Jamal, Kamran Ghulam and Fakhar Zaman.
“Yasir Hameed will lead the side in the first game against Rawalpindi Rams in the absence of Younis who along with Junaid and Yasir will reach on May 12,” Abbottabad Region’s president Zahid Saeed said.
Shoaib Malik will lead former champions Sialkot Stallions which will also have Haris Sohail, Bilawal Bhatti and Mukhtar Ahmed. Haris and Bilawal will miss the first match.
“We have also some quality youngsters. Left-arm spinner Sultan Ahmed is a T20 specialist while we also expect from young pacer Hasan Ali,” Sialkot Region’s president Nouman Butt said.
The last National T20 Championship winners Peshawar Panthers will be led by Rafatullah Mohmand which will also have Mohammad Rizwan and Israrullah.
They will miss their regular skipper Zohaib Khan who has gone to England for playing league cricket. The eight teams have been placed in two groups. Group A carries Sialkot Stallions, Peshawar Panthers, Rawalpindi Rams and Abbottabad Falcons. Group B carries Multan Tigers, Lahore Lions, Karachi Dolphins and Faisalabad Wolves.
Two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals to be held on May 17. The final will be conducted on May 18. The winners will qualify for the Champions League which is expected to be held in India in September.