PCB Hall of Famer Waqar Younis to mentor Lions

Lions will be coached by PCB Hall of Famer Waqar Younis.

In the opening match of the Champions One-Day Cup, which takes place in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29, Lions will attempt to chase Stallions at the Iqbal Stadium on September 13.

2 September 2024, Lahore:

The Lions team will be coached by Waqar Younis, a Hall of Fame member of the Pakistan Cricket Board, during this month's Champions One-Day Cup, which takes place in Faisalabad from September 12–29. The National Cricket Academy has also been assigned to the Lions for training and practice throughout the 2024–25 domestic cricket season.

The Stallions and Wolves, respectively, have appointed Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq as their mentors for the last week. Later this week, information on the player identities and player support staff will be released.

One-day cricketers from 150 different countries will compete in the Champions One-Day Cup. A single-league structure will be used for this 50-over competition. All games except the Lions vs. Panthers game on September 16, which gets underway at 9.30 a.m., start at 3 p.m. Four days of playoffs will culminate in a final on Sunday, September 29.

The Lions' schedule includes games against Misbah's Wolves on September 20, Dolphins on September 22, Panthers (a day game), and Shoaib Malik's Stallions on September 13.

In addition to being named one of Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1992, Waqar Younis captained Pakistan in 17 Tests and 62 ODIs, played in three 50-over World Cups, holds the record for being the fastest to 400 ODI wickets, and is among the captains with the best ODI bowling figures. He was inducted into the ICC and PCB Hall of Fames in 2013 and 2021, respectively. Waqar Younis also coached Pakistan in the 2010 and 2016 T20 World Cups and the 2011 and 2015 World Cups. He last served as Pakistan's bowling coach from 2019 to 2021.

"I am thrilled to have the chance to support player development once more. I am excited to take on the new challenge that this new role brings. In addition to having the opportunity to work with some of the best cricket players, the mentoring will have an interesting dynamic as we all try to outsmart one other.

"The competition will undoubtedly become much more exciting and intense as a result of this friendly rivalry.

Every match counts in this special format, which is expected to up the ante on game excitement. Over the course of 17 days, fans can anticipate an exciting 14-match tournament full of high-stakes action and unforgettable memories.

"With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 serving as the grand finale to a string of high-profile 50-over international matches, the Champions One-Day Cup is an invaluable opportunity for players to demonstrate their abilities and stake their claim for national selection." I am confident that this competition will help us find future stars who can serve our nation for a very long time with the correct coaching and development.

In terms of my job, I'm dedicated to imparting as much information and wisdom as I can to the players and the coaching staff. My objective is to assist them in developing into more significant and productive players so that our Lions and the Pakistan cricket team have a bright future.

The Lions' schedule is as follows: Day matches start at 9.30 a.m., while night matches start at 3 p.m.

Lions against. Stallions, September 13 (d/n)

Lions vs. Panthers, Sep. 16 (d)

20 September: Wolves vs. Lions (d/n)

Dolphins vs. Lions, September 22 (d/n)