Tag: Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi franchise reveals team name ahead of PSL 11

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi-based franchise for Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 has officially been named ‘Pindiz’, marking a fresh identity for the side ahead of the upcoming edition scheduled from March 26 to May 3.

The franchise, recently acquired by Walee Technologies for Rs 2.45 billion, unveiled the new name through a 25-second promotional video on Sunday.

The clip showcased iconic landmarks of Rawalpindi, accompanied by energetic background music, signalling a new chapter for the team.

“Team Rawalpindi’s official franchise name is here. We’re bold. We’re challenging. We’re bringing the vibe. We’re changing the game,” the franchise wrote while sharing the video.

The announcement also hinted at more to follow, confirming that the official team logo will be revealed soon. The teaser ended with the message: “To be continued.”

The development comes after significant changes behind the scenes. The franchise, previously operating as Multan Sultans, went under the hammer after former owner Ali Tareen opted not to renew the ownership agreement following PSL season 10.

Subsequently, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had temporarily taken control of the team, with chairman Mohsin Naqvi stating that the board would manage the former champions for the upcoming season.

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However, after successfully auctioning two new franchises, Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen and Sialkot Stallionz, the PCB decided to place the Sultans on the market as well.

Walee Technologies ultimately secured ownership following a competitive bidding war, most notably with CD Venturers, who placed the second-highest bid before withdrawing.

Under PSL regulations, the winning bidder was granted the right to rebrand the franchise. Owner Ahsan Tahir exercised that option, opting to align the team’s identity with Rawalpindi.

READ: England Lions seal T20 series against Pakistan Shaheens

Rawalpindi franchise unveil retentions ahead of PSL player auction

LAHORE: Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Rawalpindi on Wednesday announced their retained players ahead of the highly anticipated player auction for season 11, marking a new chapter following a historic ownership change.

Earlier this week, Walee Technologies secured the rights to the Multan franchise with a record bid of PKR 2.45 billion, the highest in PSL history, and subsequently rebranded the team as Rawalpindi.

The franchise retained former Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan in the Platinum category for PKR 5.60 crore.

England’s hard-hitting batter Sam Billings was picked in the Diamond category for PKR 3.08 crore, while pacer Zaman Khan was placed in the Gold category for PKR 1.12 crore.

Young batter Yasir Khan completes the retained list in the Silver category for PKR 60 lakh.

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Following these retentions, Rawalpindi have PKR 34.60 crore remaining in their purse as they head into the PSL 11 player auction scheduled later today.

For context, each franchise has been allocated a total budget of PKR 45 crore (PKR 450 million) for squad building, along with an additional PKR 5.5 crore reserved for direct signings under the league’s newly introduced auction-based system.

PSL 11 marks a historic shift as the tournament moves away from its traditional draft model to a full-fledged auction for the first time.

All other franchises, including the two new teams, Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen and Sialkot Stallionz, have already confirmed their retentions and direct signings.

PSL 11 team retentions

Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum), Abdullah Shafique (Diamond), Sikandar Raza (Gold), Mohammad Naeem (Silver)
Direct signing: Mustafizur Rahman

Quetta Gladiators: Abrar Ahmed (Platinum), Usman Tariq (Diamond), Hasan Nawaz (Gold), Shamyl Hussain (Emerging)
Direct signing: Spencer Johnson

Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (Platinum), Salman Irshad (Gold), Andries Gous (Silver)
Direct signing: Devon Conway

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (Platinum), Sufyan Muqeem (Diamond), Abdul Samad (Gold), Ali Raza (Emerging)
Direct signing: Aaron Hardie

Karachi Kings: Hasan Ali (Platinum), Mohammad Abbas Afridi (Diamond), Khushdil Shah (Gold), Saad Baig (Emerging)
Direct signing: Moeen Ali

Sialkot Stallionz: Mohammad Nawaz (Platinum), Salman Mirza (Diamond), Ahmed Daniyal (Gold), Saad Masood (Emerging)
Direct signing: Steve Smith

Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen: Saim Ayub (Platinum), Usman Khan (Diamond), Akif Javed (Gold), Maaz Sadaqat (Emerging)
Direct signing: Marnus Labuschagne

READ: PSL 11: Peshawar Zalmi sign Australian all-rounder to replace Gurbaz

Champions T20 Cup to commence tomorrow in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: The inaugural edition of the Champions T20 Cup is set to commence tomorrow here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The five-team tournament, scheduled from December 7 to 25, is set to not only crown a champion but also serve as a critical platform for Pakistan’s preparations for the upcoming white-ball mega-events in 2025 and 2026, including the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC T20 World Cup.

The tournament, which features 22 matches over 19 days, including six double-headers and eight single-headers, will begin with a double-header as Imam-ul-Haq-led Lions will take on Iftikhar Ahmed’s Markhors in the first match at 11:00 AM tomorrow while in the second match, Mohammad Haris’ Stallions will take on Shadab Khan-led Panthers at 3:30 PM.

Double-header matches will begin at 11:00 AM and 3:30 PM, while single-header games are set for 12:00 PM.

Five formidable teams — Stallions, Dolphins, Panthers, Lions and Markhors — will compete in a double-league format, with each team playing the others twice.

The top team from the league stage will advance to the 25 December final while the second and third-placed teams will compete in a Qualifier, ensuring an intense battle for supremacy.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has strategically planned the Champions Cup events to provide players with high-pressure opportunities that bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.

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The first event of the Champions Cup series, played in List-A format, was held successfully in Faisalabad in September, throwing some good talent.

Recognising the challenges faced by emerging talent transitioning to the international stage, the initiative aims to enhance their adaptability and readiness for global competition.

The first step towards the next T20I mega event has already been taken through the induction of some new players in the T20I series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Adding to the tournament’s appeal is the mentorship of cricketing legends Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis. Their guidance is expected to hone players’ skills and instil the fearless, high-impact style of cricket that has become essential in the modern T20 game.

Tournament director Wahab Riaz is confident the event will be a launchpad for young players.

“PCB has been working really hard to improve and to give a lot of exposure to young players and I think with this tournament players will learn a lot by sharing the dressing room with those who have played international cricket and under the guidance of mentors the learning will be precious.

“From here on, once they enter the international arena they don’t have to worry about the pressure and would be equipped to meet the demands,” said Wahab.

Champions T20 Cup Squads

Stallions: Mohammad Haris (c)(wk), Azam Khan (subject to fitness), Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Mohammad Mohsin, Shamyl Hussain, Shoaib Malik, Tahir Hussain, Taimur Khan, Ubaid Shah, Usman Tariq (subject to fitness), Yasir Khan and Zaman Khan

Reserves: Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Jahandad Khan (to join after 14 Dec), Nasir Nawaz and Shoaib Akhtar Jnr

Dolphins: Faheem Ashraf (c), Asif Ali, Kashif Ali, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohammad Suleman, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Irshad, Sameen Gul, Saqib Khan, Shayan Sheikh and Umar Amin

Reserves: Ihsanullah, Salman Khan Afridi, Waqar Ahmed

Panthers: Shadab Khan (c), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ahmed Bashir, Amad Butt, Danish Aziz, Haider Ali, Irfanullah Shah, Mohammad Ibtisam, Mohammad Umar (subject to fitness), Mubasir Khan, Rehan Afridi, Rizwan Mehmood, Sajid Khan, Sharjeel Khan (subject to fitness), Umar Siddiq (wk) and Usama Mir

Reserves: Ali Asfand, Aqib Liaqat, Azan Awais, Mohammad Zeeshan and Yousuf Babar (stand-by for Sharjeel Khan)

Lions: Imam-ul-Haq (c), Aamer Yamin, Arif Yaqoob, Faisal Akram, Hasan Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Junaid, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir (wk), Shahab Khan, Shahid Aziz, Sharoon Siraj and Zeeshan Malik

Reserves: Afaq Afridi, Mohammad Awais Anwar, Mohammad Faiq and Sajjad Ali Hashmi

Markhors: Iftikhar Ahmed (c), Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, Bilawal Bhatti, Bismillah Khan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sarwar Afridi, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Muhammad Shehzad, Nisar Ahmed, Saad Masood and Zahid Mehmood

Reserves: Ali Usman, Ali Shafique, Ali Shan and Niaz Khan

READ: BCCI ready to accept PCB’s ‘fusion formula’ for Champions Trophy: reports

Rawalpindi weather update ahead of second Pakistan-Bangladesh Test

RAWALPINDI: The second Test of the two-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh, scheduled to be held here is likely to be affected by rain.

The second Test is scheduled to start on 30 August (tomorrow) at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The forecast for the first day predicts cloudy and humid weather with a high probability of a heavy thunderstorm.

AccuWeather predicts a temperature of 27°C, with a RealFeel temperature of 28°C. The high humidity will make it feel like it’s 30°C. Additionally, the weather is expected to be overcast throughout the day.

The wind is expected to be coming from the northeast at a speed of 11 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 32 km/h.

We can anticipate a significant amount of rainfall, around 25.4 mm. The humidity level will be relatively high at 79%, and the sky will be covered with clouds at 96%.

The dew point is forecasted to be 22°C, while visibility is expected to be limited to 4 km, and there is an 80% chance of precipitation throughout the day.

Notably, Pakistan would be looking to bounce back in the second Test in Rawalpindi after suffering the first-ever defeat against Bangladesh in the opening Test of the two-match series.

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Following the defeat, several strategies came under question; such as going with an all-pace attack, declaration and batting failure in the second innings.

Pakistan, after being put into bat first, accumulated 448/6 and declared their first innings in the dying minutes of the second day. Bangladesh, in response, piled up a mammoth total of 565, courtesy of Mushfiqur Rahim’s marathon 191-run knock, before bundling out in the third session of the fourth day.

The first Test was assumed to be heading towards a draw but Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered against Bangladesh’s spinners on the final day and could score 146, setting the visitors a meagre 30-run target.

The Bangladesh openers made no mistake in chasing down a paltry total and steered their side to a historic victory over Pakistan.

Pakistan: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudullah, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed and Khaled Ahmed.

READ: England captain Ben Stokes eyeing comeback before Pakistan series

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