Pakistan’s cricket landscape is set for an exciting domestic showdown with the Champions T20 Cup scheduled from December 7 to 25, but notable absences loom large.
Superstar skipper Babar Azam, pace sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi, and dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will sit out the tournament as they gear up for national duties against South Africa in a Test series.
Prioritizing National Commitments
The trio’s absence, alongside other centrally contracted players and members of Pakistan’s ongoing Zimbabwe tour, reflects the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) strategy of prioritizing international cricket over domestic competitions.
Provisional Squads for Champions T20 Cup
The tournament features five franchise-style teams, each mentored by a cricketing legend. Here’s a breakdown of the provisional squads:
ABL Stallions
Mentor: Shoaib Malik
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Abdul Faseeh | Batter |
| Ahmed Safi Abdullah | Spinner |
| Azam Khan | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Hussain Talat | All-Rounder |
| Mohammad Amir Khan | Pacer |
| Mohammad Haris | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Mohammad Mohsin | All-Rounder |
| Maaz Sadaqat | Spinner |
| Mehran Mumtaz | Spinner |
| Nasir Nawaz | Batter |
| Shoaib Malik | All-Rounder |
| Tahir Hussain | Spinner |
| Ubaid Shah | Pacer |
| Yasir Khan | Batter |
| Zaman Khan | Pacer |
Engro Dolphins
Mentor: Sarfaraz Ahmed
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Asif Ali | Batter |
| Faheem Ashraf | All-Rounder |
| Ihsanullah | Pacer |
| Khubaib Khalil | Batter |
| Kashif Ali | Batter |
| Mirza Tahir Baig | Batter |
| Muhammad Akhlaq | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Muhammad Ghazi Ghori | Spinner |
| Salman Afridi | All-Rounder |
| Salman Irshad | Pacer |
| Shayan Sheikh | All-Rounder |
| Umar Amin | Batter |
Lake City Panthers
Mentor: Saqlain Mushtaq
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Abdul Wahid Bangalzai | Batter |
| Ali Raza | Spinner |
| Amad Butt | All-Rounder |
| Danish Aziz | All-Rounder |
| Haider Ali | Batter |
| Hasan Ali | Pacer |
| Irfanullah Shah | Pacer |
| Mohammad Umar | Pacer |
| Mohammad Zeeshan | Batter |
| Mubasir Khan | All-Rounder |
| Rehan Afridi | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Rizwan Mehmood | Spinner |
| Saad Baig | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Sharjeel Khan | Batter |
| Umar Siddiq | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Usama Mir | Spinner |
Nurpur Lions
Mentor: Waqar Younis
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Aamer Yamin | All-Rounder |
| Arif Yaqoob | Batter |
| Hasan Nawaz | Batter |
| Hunain Shah | Pacer |
| Imam-ul-Haq | Batter |
| Khushdil Shah | All-Rounder |
| Mohammad Basit | Batter |
| Mohammad Faiq | Spinner |
| Mohammad Junaid | Pacer |
| Mohammad Siraj | Spinner |
| Mohammad Taha | Batter |
| Musa Khan | Pacer |
| Rohail Nazir | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Sajjad Ali Hashmi | Batter |
| Shahab Khan | Spinner |
UMT Markhors
Mentor: Misbah-ul-Haq
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Abdul Samad | Batter |
| Akif Javed | Pacer |
| Ali Shafique | Batter |
| Ali Shan | Batter |
| Ali Usman | Spinner |
| Bilawal Bhatti | All-Rounder |
| Bismillah Khan | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Fakhar Zaman | Batter |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | All-Rounder |
| Khawaja Mohammad Nafay | Batter |
| Mohammad Faizan | Spinner |
| Mohammad Imran Jnr | All-Rounder |
| Mohammad Nawaz | All-Rounder |
| Mohammad Rameez Jnr | Pacer |
| Mohammad Sarwar Afridi | Pacer |
| Muhammad Imran Randhawa | All-Rounder |
| Muhammad Shehzad | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Niaz Khan | Spinner |
| Nisar Ahmed | Batter |
| Saad Masood | All-Rounder |
| Zahid Mehmood | Spinner |
