LAHORE: Gujranwala Giants will take on Mardan Warriors in the opener of the inaugural Pakistan Junior League at the Gaddafi Stadium here on October 6, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced Wednesday.

Bahawalpur Royals will play Hyderabad Hunters in their tournament opener under lights on October 7. A total of 19 matches will be played in the 15-day tournament which includes 15 round matches followed by four play-offs, including the October 21 final.

Each of the six sides will play five matches in the single-league format. The PCB, which failed to attract desired sponsors for the event had taken the responsibility to run the competition on its own.

The board has appointed the likes of former cricketers including Javed Miandad (league mentor), Sir Vivian Richards (Gwadar Sharks), Shahid Afridi (Mardan Warriors), Shoaib Malik (Gujranwala Giants), Imran Tahir (Bahawalpur Royals), Daren Sammy (Hyderabad Hunters) and Colin Munro (Rawalpindi Royals) as team mentors, a total of four double-headers will be staged in the inaugural edition — all on weekends.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2022