KARACHI: Favourites Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) will take on the PCB XI in the opening fixture of the first State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Women’s Cricket Championship at the SBP Complex in North Nazimabad here on Thursday.

Zaheerul Hassan, SBP’s deputy director of sports and recreation unit who is also the manager sports, told Dawn on Wednesday that the tournament featuring three teams — the third being SBP — is being held on the instruction of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Women’s Wing.

“The PCB approached us to organise this three-team competition to give players ample match practice for Pakistan women’s team tour of New Zealand and the 2017 World Cup qualifiers next February,” Zaheerul said. “Head of the women’s national selection committee Farrukh Zaman and former Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz, who is a selector, will be here during the tournament to watch the matches before finalizing the national team.”

Pakistan are due to play five One-day Internationals and a one T20 match when they tour New Zealand in November.

Zaheerul further stated that altogether seven matches are scheduled to be played in the SBP event with the final set to be staged next Thursday (Sept 29).

“I’m sure a lot of positives will come out of staging of this tournament since it will help our women cricketers to get competitively trained at the national level,” Zaheerul added. “The tournament would also help the PCB to unearth suitable talent for the Pakistan side.”

He added that SBP has been encouraging sports activities among women specially cricket and football by organising inter-school girls’ cricket tournament and inter-club women’s football tournament.

Meanwhile, the PCB XI has finalised their squad to be led by Sidra Nawaz. Other members are Asmavia Iqbal, Kainat Imtiaz, Mariana Iqbal, Ramin Shamim, Nashra Sindhu, Fazila Akhlaq, Sana Urooj, Farwa Batool, Noreena Khalil, Noreen Yaqub, Areeb Shumaim, Umm-e-Hani, Ghulam Fatima, Laila Hayat, Waheeda Akhtar.

Naz-e-Alam Sherazi has appointed manager of the PCB XI.

Schedule:

Sept 22: ZTBL vs PCB XI.

Sept 23: SBP vs ZTBL.

Sept 24: SBP vs PCB XI.

Sept 25: ZTBL vs PCB XI.

Sept 26: SBP vs ZTBL.

Sept 27: SBP vs PCB XI.

Sept 29: Final.

Published in Dawn September 22nd, 2016