KARACHI: The inaugural Kashmir Premier League (KPL) Twenty20 tournament started amid fanfare at the picturesque Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium on Friday night.

The six-team event, which will continue till Aug 17, features Muzaffarabad Tigers, Rawalakot Hawks, Bagh Stallions, Mirpur Royals, Kotli Lions and Overseas Warriors. Overseas Warriors team will comprise Kashmiri players from overseas while the rest of the outfits will be representing different cities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Shahid Afridi’s Mirpur Royals were playing Shoaib Malik-led Rawalakot Hawks under lights in the event’s opening match at the Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium, which will host all the games, at the time of preparing this report.

The tournament will see a number of current and former Pakistan and foreign cricketers, including ex-South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs, former England wicket-keeper Matt Prior, Afridi, Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Sharjeel Khan, Shan Masood, Sohaib Maqsood, Ahmed Shehzad, Haider Ali, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Anwar Ali and Imad Wasim in action.

The event, being played on double round robin basis, will see Qualifier 1 featuring the top two teams on Aug 14 followed by Eliminator 1 between number three and four teams on Aug 15. On Aug 16, the runners-up of Qualifier 1 will lock horns with the winners of Eliminator 1 in the second and last eliminator.

The winners of Qualifier 1 will meet the winners of Eliminator 2 in the event final on Aug 17.

According to reports, 25 to 30 per cent spectators will be allowed to enter the stadium and ticket sales will start after the permission of the NCOC.

Matches schedule:

Aug 7: Bagh Stallions vs Kotli Lions; Overseas Warriors vs Muzaffarabad Tigers

Aug 8: Mirpur Royals vs Bagh Stallions; Rawalakot Hawks vs Kotli Lions

Aug 9: Overseas Warriors vs Mirpur Royals; Rawalakot Hawks vs Muzaffarabad Tigers

Aug 10: Muzaffarabad Tigers vs Kotli Lions; Bagh Stallions vs Overseas Warriors

Aug 11: Rawalakot Hawks vs Bagh Stallions; Kotli Lions vs Mirpur Royals

Aug 12: Bagh Stallions vs Muzaffarabad Stallions; Rawalakot Hawks vs Overseas Warriors

Aug 13: Overseas Warriors vs Kotli Lions; Muzaffarabad Tigers vs Mirpur Royals

Aug 14: Qualifier 1 (Team 1 vs Team 2)

Aug 15: Eliminator 1 (Team 3 vs Team 4)

Aug 16: Eliminator 2 (Qualifier runners-up vs Winners of Eliminator 1)

Aug 17: Winners of Qualifier 1 vs Winners of Eliminator 2.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2021