Nadeem Khan highlights significance of Champions One Day Cup

The Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad will host the first-ever Champions One-Day Cup from September 12–29. The PCB named the captains and preliminary squads on Friday. Misbah-ul-Haq (Wolves), Saqlain Mushtaq (Panthers), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Dolphins), Shoaib Malik (Stallions), and Waqar Younis (Lions) are the team mentors for the five teams.

The 50-over competition, which will be contested in a single-league style, will feature the best players in the nation. With the exception of the Lions vs. Panthers game on September 16, which gets underway at 9.30am, all games will commence at 3pm.

Speaking with PCB Digital, Nadeem Khan, Director of High-Performance PCB and Tournament Director of the Champions Cup, emphasized the importance of the competition and outlined its key components.

"We started working on the Champions One-Day Cup concept in April, and we officially announced it in July. To close the divide between domestic and international cricket, the PCB made the decision to assemble the finest players from its regional leagues.

"To enable the players to learn and improve their talents all year long, all five teams have been assigned to their respective regional academies for the first time. The finest part of the idea is that the teams have extremely skilled and committed mentors who will not only oversee the men's champion teams but also participate in women's and age-group cricket, which will benefit Pakistani sport.

"The players will be prepared for domestic contests by the five well-known mentors, who are aware of the demands of international cricket.

"On September 12, Pakistan's head coach for white-ball cricket, Gary Kirsten, will arrive to watch the entire Champions One-Day Cup. It will be an exciting experience for him to work in the domestic circuit, scouting young talent in preparation for the country's upcoming white-ball assignments in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, as well as the home tri-national series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The Champions One-Day Cup will serve as a springboard for Pakistan's white-ball sides and serve as the official kickoff to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy preparations.

"Holding the Champions Cup in September would enable us to provide the best international cricket players with a longer chance to compete before the major event kicks off at home.

"With every national player participating in the Champions One-Day Cup, the level of competition and quality inside this local league will only increase, assisting us in identifying the young players who will be the future representatives of Pakistan and who can perform well under duress.

"The teams have a good mix of young and seasoned players, and one of our objectives is to provide the U19 and developing players in the Champions One-Day Cup squads first-rate dressing room and on-field exposure and experience.

"Up until 2008, international cricket was regularly held at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad (having hosted 24 Tests and 16 ODIs). However, we have since actively collaborated with the local government to bring a high-profile competition to the city, and we anticipate a sizable crowd for the Champions One-Day Cup.

"With regard to the competition between the two home Test series, it must be recognized that this competition has been planned since April. Every Board in the world has its own predetermined domestic framework, and instead of adjusting their schedules in response to impending home-international assignments, the tournaments proceed according to their individual preset windows. 

Furthermore, it shouldn't be a major worry because modern players are accustomed to jumping between formats and are professionals. In actuality, their presence raised the caliber of the first significant domestic competition of the 2024–25 season.