PCB unveils five Champions Cup team mentors

ISLAMABAD: Misbahul Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik and Waqar Younis were on Monday confirmed as mentors of the five Champions Cup sides on three-year contracts following a transparent and robust recruitment process. Names of their sides and squads will be confirmed in due course.

According to a Pakistan Cricket Board press release, the first assignment of the mentors in the PCB domestic cricket season 2024-25 will be the Champions One-Day Cup, which will be held at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29.

Best of the best cricketers from the country will feature in the single-league competition that will also serve as the homecoming of men’s seniors’ competitive cricket in Faisalabad after nearly two years.

The last domestic men’s 50-over match played at the Iqbal Stadium was in March 2022 between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The five Champions Cup side mentors have played 1,621 international matches between them, scoring a total of 32,780 runs and taking 1,503 wickets between them. Of the five, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik are two-time ICC event winners, Misbah is a one-time ICC event winner and ACC Asia Cup 2012 winning captain, while Saqlain and Waqar were members of the side that played in the 1999 World Cup final.

PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi said: “I am pleased to welcome five exceptional champions as mentors for the Champions Cup teams. These individuals bring a wealth of cricketing experience, knowledge and expertise, which, combined with their passion for the game we all love, will help the Pakistan Cricket Board identify, develop and nurture the next generation of cricketers across all formats. This initiative will not only benefit the Pakistan men’s cricket team but also help bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.

“These five mentors will play a pivotal role in the development and progression of our emerging cricketers. They will guide strategic planning and team-building processes, while also providing support in leadership and personal development.

“The PCB is committed to strengthening Pakistan’s cricket through a robust domestic structure that offers a clear and competitive pathway for all cricketers. The most talented and skilled players will advance through the ranks to represent Pakistan at the highest level.”