Lahore Qalandars acquire Durban franchise in Zim Afro T10

HARARE: With the much-awaited Zim Afro T10 coming up soon, one of the teams for the tournament has been announced.

Pakistan Super League champions Lahore Qalandars have acquired the Durban franchise in the Zim Afro T10, and it will be called the Durban Qalandars.

The franchise is owned by Pakistani businessmen Atif Naeem Rana and Sameen Naeem Rana. The Lahore Qalandars have won two titles (2022 & 2023) in the Pakistan Super League.

Along expected lines, the Qalandars franchise will look to replicate their success with the Durban team in Zim Afro T10.

The Zim Afro T10 represents franchise cricket’s first foray in Zimbabwe and the tournament will have five privately owned teams battling it out for the top prize. The other four teams will be Harare Hurricanes, Cape Town Samp Army, Bulawayo Braves and Joburg Lions.

The Zim Afro T10, in association with T Ten Global Sports, will get underway on July 20, with the grand final scheduled for July 29, with all the games being played in Harare.

The player’s draft is slated to take place on the 2^nd of July at a grand ceremony in Harare.

Zimbabwe Cricket Managing Director Mr Givemore Makoni said, “We are elated to welcome the Qalandars to the Zim Afro T10 and Zimbabwe Cricket family. They have been very successful in Pakistan and we hope that they can bring their entertaining brand of cricket for the local fans here as well. They come with a tradition of attracting the best players, and we hope to see more of that.”

“After winning two consecutive seasons in the PSL, we want to expand our footprint and Zimbabwe is a great chance for us to make a mark. The Zim Afro T10 is surely going to be a very exciting tournament — it is the fastest format in the game after all, and we cannot wait to connect with the fans there and create a strong fanbase for ourselves,” Sameen Naeem Rana, owner and CEO of Durban Qalandars said.

T Ten Global Sports Founder and Chairman Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk said, “It is great to have the champions from the Pakistan Super League join us in the Zim Afro T10 as the Durban Qalandars. They have had a long lasting effect in the PSL and we hope to see them play a similar kind of role in the Zim Afro T10. I expect a stiff competition and some entertaining cricket from the Durban Qalandars from the very first ball. The fans are eagerly awaiting this festival of cricket to begin.”