Disabled T20 Pentangular Cup from March 25

KARACHI: The 8th edition of NBP Disabled T20 Pentangular Cup, carrying five teams, will begin on March 25 here at the NBP Sports Complex, it was announced at a press conference on Wednesday.

Pakistan Disabled Cricket Association's (PDCA) secretary Amiruddin Ansari said that the purpose of the event was to prepare for the World Series slated to be held in August in England. The four-member national selection committee, comprising Iqbal Imam, Sabih Azhar, Mohammad Javed and Javed Ashraf, would pick 30 probable players for the camp for the World series, Ansari said.

Also present on the occasion were NBP's head of CSR division Iqbal Wahid, head of sports Iqbal Qasim, CSR manager Asif Ahmed Khan, event manager Anwar Farooqi and former international cricketer Saeed Azad.

The four provinces and Federal Areas will fight for the title. The tournament will be played on the league basis with top two teams qualifying for the final. The winners will get a cash prize of Rs150,000 with the runners-up to receive Rs75,000. The Man-of-the-Match for each match will be given Rs2000. The man of the final will claim Rs5000. The best player of the event will also get Rs5,000.

Federal Areas will face Punjab in the opener which will start at 9:30am on March 25. On the same day at 1:20 pm Balochistan will meet Sindh. Only the opening and final matches will be played at NBP Sports Complex. The league matches will be played at RLCA and TMC Cricket Ground.

Ansari said that former Pakistan captain and PDCA president Rashid Latif sent a message from Islamabad, thanking NBP, PCB and ICRC for their generous support to the PDCA. Iqbal Qasim said NBP had been working with the PDCA from the very first day for the development of disabled cricket in Pakistan.