Rizwans UMT Markhors to take on Shadabs Panthers on Thursday

This is their opportunity to leave their imprint and start a busy season on a high note, and every player should feel that they are here because they deserve to be, adds Rizwan.

"We have what it takes to be that team, and the only team that will win is the one that will be consistent," Shadab declares.

The event has a total prize fund of PKR49 million, with PKR30 million going to the winner and PKR15 million to the losing finalist.

On Thursday afternoon, all roads in Faisalabad will lead to Iqbal Stadium for the Champions One-Day Cup opening match between the Panthers and the star-studded UMT (University of Management and Technology) Markhors (formerly Wolves). The game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. and will be televised live in North America on Willow TV, as well as nationally on sports stations. In Pakistan, Tamasha, Tapmad, and Myco will provide live streaming of the action.

Shadab Khan will lead the Panthers, while Mohammad Rizwan will captain the UMT Markhors and be mentored by Misbah-ul-Haq and Saqlain Mushtaq. With a total prize fund of PKR49 million, the season-opening event promises a handsome payout of PKR30 million for the winner and PKR15 million for the runner-up on September 29.

The match between Shaheen Shah Afridi's Nurpur Lions and Mohammad Haris' Allied Bank Stallions is scheduled for Friday. On Saturday, Saud Shakeel's Dolphins and Shadab Khan's Panthers will square off.

For the last five days, all five teams have been in Faisalabad taking part in intensive training sessions in order to get ready for this recently announced competition that brings together the best cricket players in the nation. With the biggest ICC Event of 2025 in mind, the tournament has been designed with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in mind. Top players will be trying to increase their chances of making the national team, which will play ODIs in Australia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and a home tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa.

Gary Kirsten, the head coach of white-ball cricket, will be in Faisalabad to see the single-round 50-over competition. Red-ball coach Jason Gillespie will also accompany Kirsten later in the competition.

The top four teams advance to the playoffs, which conclude with the championship game on September 29 in this high-stakes competition where every game matters.

Captain of UMT Markhorse (formerly Wolves) Muhammad Rizwan

Any top cricket-playing nation needs events of the caliber of the Champions One-Day Cup to remain viable, as it gives both seasoned players and up-and-coming talent an equal chance to bolster their national selection bids. In light of this, I am excited about the event and sure it will achieve all of its strategic goals.

Some of the best cricketers are on the UMT Markhors roster. I want my team to have fun in this competition, not get intimidated by the opposition, and show off their abilities to the fans in Faisalabad. Every player should think that they are here because they deserve to be, and that this is their opportunity to leave their mark and start the hectic season with a bang.

Captain Shadab Khan of the Panthers:

It's time to put our diligent training in Faisalabad into action and see the benefits. It will be difficult for us to win this tournament, so we must compete with passion and determination every time we take the field. We have everything it takes to be that squad; the only team that will win is the one that will be consistent.

"The Champions One-Day Cup is a high-stakes, high-pressure tournament that will set the tone for the rest of the 2024–25 season." I'm confident that as the season goes on, we'll find more standout players who will not only make an impact for their country but also assist Pakistan in becoming a formidable force once again in international cricket.

With both veteran and up-and-coming cricketers, the Panthers are a formidable and strong team. We have a middle order that is dependable, bowlers that can take wickets, and firepower up top. I don't see any obstacle preventing us from working as a team to execute.

If you ask Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, and Mohammad Haris if they are my teammates on the national team, they will tell you that there are no buddies on the field and that we play fair and hard to win.

We have been blown away by the love and support that the Faisalabad fans have shown us over the last few days. Their excitement demonstrates their abiding love for the game and their regard for the other players. I have no doubt that we will maintain their dedication to Pakistan cricket and increase their faith in the national team throughout the next fifteen days.

Schedule for Thursday through Sunday (all games start at 3pm):

Thurs, 12 Sep – UMT Markhors v Panthers. Aleem Dar and Asif Yaqoob (on-field umpires); Waleed Yaqub (third umpire), Zulfiqar Jan (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee)

Fri, 13 Sep – Allied Bank Stallions v Nurpur Lions. Aleem Dar and Waleed Yaqub (on-field umpires); Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Zulfiqar Jan (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee)

Sat, 14 Sep – Dolphins v Panthers. Asif Yaqoob and Zulfiqar Jan (on-field umpires); Aleem Dar (third umpire), Waleed Yaqub (fourth umpire); Bilal Khilji (match referee)

Sun, 15 Sep – UMT Markhors v Allied Bank Stallions. Aleem Dar and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires); Waleed Yaqub (third umpire), Zulfiqar Jan (fourth umpire); Bilal Khilji (match referee)

16-player squads:

DOLPHINS: Saud Shakeel (captain), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Huraira, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Riazullah, Noman Ali, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sameen Gul, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sufiyan Moqim, Umar Amin and Usman Qadir

Mentor – Sarfaraz Ahmed

LIONS: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Aamer Yamin, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rohail Nazir, Sajjad Ali Hashmi, Sharoon Siraj and Sirajuddin

Mentor – Waqar Younis

MARKHORS: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, Ali Usman, Bismillah Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haseebullah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi, Muhammad Imran, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mehmood 

Mentor – Misbah ul Haq

PANTHERS: Shadab Khan (captain), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ahmed Bashir, Amad Butt, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Umar, Mohammad Zeeshan, Mubasir Khan, Rizwan Mehmood, Saim Ayub, Umar Siddiq, Usama Mir and Usman Khan

Mentor – Saqlain Mushtaq 

STALLIONS: Mohammad Haris (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Adil Amin, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Jahandad Khan, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Saad Khan, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Ubaid Shah, Yasir Khan and Zaman Khan

Mentor -  Shoaib Malik