RAWALPINDI: The qualifying round of the Cool & Cool Presents Haier Mobile Twenty20 Cup will start here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

The qualifying round of the event comprises eight teams, and will continue till Sept 5.

Dera Murad Jamali Region, Bahawalpur Region, Fata Region, Larkana Region, Quetta Region, Lahore Region Blues, Azad Jammu & Kashmir Region and Karachi Region (Blues) will be seen action in the qualifying round.

The winners of both semi-finals of the qualifying round will make the main round, where they will join the 10 top outfits.

Main round of the event will be held from Sept 8 to 15 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Diamond Cricket Ground (Islamabad) and Marghazar Ground (Islamabad).

The ten teams, who are already in the main round include Peshawar Region, Faisalabad Region, Abbottabad Region, Multan Region, Rawalpindi Region, Sialkot Region, Karachi Region (Whites), Hyderabad Region, Lahore Region Whites and Islamabad Region.

During the main round, several star cricketers will be seen in action.

Faisalabad Region will be led by Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq who will have the services of veteran off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Seasoned Test batsman and former national skipper Younis Khan will lead Abbottabad Region. Several prominent names such as ex-Test batsman Yasir Hameed, along with Test pacer Junaid Khan and prolific leg-spinner Yasir Shah will be the part of Abbottabad team.

Pakistan ODI captain Azhar Ali will head Lahore Region. A number of star players such as Test batsmen Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, frontline fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Irfan alongside belligerent Umar Akmal will brighten victory chances of Azhar’s team.

Similarly, Test wicket-keeper and hard-hitter Kamran Akmal will captain Multan Region, which will also have the likes of international batsman Sohaib Maqsood, Imran Farhat, Test fast bowler Rahat Ali and left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar.

Left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir will be in charge of Rawalpindi Region. Mohammad Amir, Khurram Shahzad and Yasir Arafat are also included in the 18-member squad.

Sialkot Region will be led by experienced all-rounder and former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik who will have the services of fast-rising youngsters like Mukhtar Ahmed and Haris Sohail.

International opener Sharjeel Khan will take charge of Hyderabad Region while Faisal Iqbal will lead Karachi Region.

Young Imad Wasim will lead Islamabad and will also have experienced pacer Umar Gul and promising Babar Azam in his team.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015

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