City Cricket Association Tournament set to begin today

KARACHI: As many as 93 sides will be in action across the country in the City Cricket Association (CCA) Tournament 2022-23 which is set to begin on Sunday (today). The event will last until July 21.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that it would provide a pathway to around 1800 cricketers to graduate to the Cricket Association tournaments that include first-class, non first-class three-day, 50 overs and 20 overs competitions.

The squads of 13 sides from Balochistan and 19 sides of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been announced. The squads from the other four Cricket Associations will be unveiled early next week.

“The squads have been selected through a robust process. The performers from last year’s CCA tournament, players that have featured in last year’s CA Under-19 events and are not eligible to feature in future Under-19 tournaments, have been selected. The remaining players were selected from open trials and preference was given to performers from winter league.

In the Central Punjab Cricket Association, beside players’ performances in the CCA tournament, the players were also selected from two-day camp of performers of community cricket.

19 CCA teams of KP have been divided into four pools. The matches will commence in this jurisdiction from Sunday (today).

Balochistan's 13 City Cricket Associations are divided into three pools. They will host the matches from Monday (tomorrow).

Sindh consists of 17 teams which are divided into four pools. The matches in this part of the region will begin from Tuesday.

The matches in Central Punjab, Northern and Southern Punjab jurisdictions will begin after a week’s delay due to pre-monsoon rain in this part of the country. The three Cricket Associations will now hold their matches from June 24. 19 teams from Central Punjab are split into four pools. The 11 teams from Northern are divided into three pools while 14 teams from Southern Punjab have been clubbed in three pools.

The winners from Central Punjab, KP and Sindh CCAs will be declared after group leaders progress to the semi-final with the top two teams playing the final. In contrast, Balochistan, Northern and Southern Punjab CCAs will be divided into three groups each with group leaders to progress to the triangular series stage and the side with most points to be adjudged as winners.

According to the event format, each match will be of two days with 100 overs to be bowled each day in six hours and 40 minutes of play with a one-hour break. To encourage positive and result-oriented cricket, first innings will be limited to 75 overs per side and no bowler shall bowl more than 15 overs in an innings.