(Source X)
Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shoaib Malik have been named as mentors for the five Champions Cup teams, each signing three-year contracts.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that these mentors will kick off their roles with the Champions One Day Cup, which is scheduled to take place at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29. However, the PCB did not clarify how Waqar Younis’s new mentoring role will intersect with his position as cricket affairs advisor to Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
The newly established Champions Cup will showcase Pakistan’s premier male cricketers in a single-league format, marking the return of senior domestic matches to Faisalabad after almost two years. The last 50-over domestic game held at Iqbal Stadium took place in March 2022, featuring Balochistan against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PCB also mentioned that the names of the teams and their squads for the Champions Cup will be announced in the near future.
“I am pleased to welcome five exceptional champions as mentors for the Champions Cup teams. These individuals bring a wealth of cricketing experience, knowledge, and expertise, which, combined with their passion for the game we all love, will help the Pakistan Cricket Board identify, develop and nurture the next generation of cricketers across all formats,” said Naqvi.
“This initiative will not only benefit the Pakistan men’s cricket team but also help bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket. These five mentors will play a pivotal role in the development and progression of our emerging cricketers. They will guide strategic planning and team-building processes, while also providing support in leadership and personal development.
“The PCB is committed to strengthening Pakistan’s cricket through a robust domestic structure that offers a clear and competitive pathway for all cricketers. The most talented and skilled players will advance through the ranks to represent Pakistan at the highest level,” he added.
The five mentors collectively bring a wealth of experience from 1,621 international matches, accumulating 32,780 runs and 1,503 wickets between them. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik are both two-time ICC Event champions, Misbah-ul-Haq has won an ICC Event once and led Pakistan to victory in the 2012 ACC Asia Cup, while Saqlain Mushtaq and Waqar Younis were part of the squad that reached the 1999 World Cup final.
