Pakistan Cricket News: T20 action set to return to Lahore
The deprived cricket fans of the city of Lahore in Pakistan have a chance of catching up on some high class cricketing entertainment as the National T20 cricket tournament gets underway on the 10th of October.
The tournament featuring the cream of Pakistan cricket will be played at the picturesque Qaddafi stadium - the ground that hosted the final of the 1996 ODI World Cup.
The tournament has thirteen teams participating who have been divided into four groups, with three teams per group and one group with four teams. Group winners will automatically qualify for the semi-finals.
Three matches will be played every day with the matches starting at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm, and 8:00 pm.
The thirteen teams include city outfits that are representing all four provinces.
The two major cricketing nurseries in the country, Lahore and Karachi, each have two teams, while nine other cities make up the numbers.
The format of the tournament has been devised to give each team an opportunity of making it to the semi-finals. The winners of each group will make it to the last four stage.
Group A includes Peshawar Panthers, Lahore Lions, Abbottabad Falcons and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Multan-c819 Tigers. Group B has the defending champions and the most powerful line-up in this format of the game, the Sialkot Stallions.
Besides the Stallions, Karachi Zebras and Rawalpindi Rams make up the rest of the group. In Group C, Faisalabad Wolves, who made it to the final of the last event held in Karachi, are the favourites to qualify for the semi-finals.
Besides them, Islamabad Leopards and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Quetta-c835 Bears are also in the group, while Group D includes the formidable Karachi Dolphins who will be aiming to win the title that has been Sialkot’s own in recent years.
The best talent from around the country will be flexing their muscles against each other in what is being touted as the build-up to a hectic international season for Pakistan that would culminate in the ODI World cup that
is set to be played in the sub-continent in February-March next year.
The tournament is set to gather excitement from the outset as the instant format of the game has become very popular all over http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 and Lahore is no exception.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Peshawar-c832 Panthers team would be the focus of every one including the selectors and Board officials as discarded former test captain Younis Khan is slated to lead the team.
Karachi Dolphins would be led by ‘BOOM BOOM’ Shahid Khan Afridi who is also the man in charge of Pakistan’s T20 and ODI team.
Another player who would be bidding to impress the national selectors is Sohail Tanvir; the left-arm fast bowler who has been away from national duty due to a knee injury that was operated upon a few months back.
The main draw once again would be the Stallions from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sialkot-c842, who have reigned supreme in the competition winning it all but on one occasion. They are once again formidable on paper with the likes of former test captain Shoaib
Malik, Imran Nazir and Rana Naveed Ul http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hasan-c61990 being the star attractions in the team.
The real reason for their success has been their consistent performances with both bat and ball; they are also the best fielding unit in the country and have been served well by the likes of Imran Nazir and Malik in the field.
The two Lahore teams would also be bidding to make an impression in front of their home audience; they certainly have the firepower to cause trouble to any team in the competition.
The people of Lahore are waiting with bated breath to see the action, so let us hope it fits the bill.
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