Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Matches Abandoned Due to Rain

LAHORE: The initial day of the 68th Quaid-e-Azam Trophy’s first-round matches was entirely disrupted. Sialkot Region, the defending champions’ match, was impacted by continuous rainfall across all venues.

Due to the persistent downpour on Monday, the day’s play was called off at all five locations: Abbottabad, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar.

The four-day tournament’s opening round is scheduled from October 6 to 9.

Sialkot, the defending champions, were slated to play Peshawar at the Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar, in a rematch of the previous season’s exciting final.

Other matches included FATA versus Multan at the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad, Faisalabad versus Karachi Blues at the Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad, Lahore Whites versus Islamabad at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, and Abbottabad versus Bahawalpur at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.

Sialkot, captained by Amad Butt, secured the title last season after narrowly defeating Peshawar by one wicket in a thrilling finish at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi.

In the tournament’s opening match in Peshawar, the two teams were scheduled to play again.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently revealed a prize pool of PKR 7.5 million for the winners, with the runners-up receiving PKR 4 million.

For the first time, the Player of the Match in each league game will receive PKR 25,000, while the Player of the Final will be awarded PKR 100,000.

The Best Batter, Bowler, Wicketkeeper, and Player of the Tournament will each be granted PKR 250,000.

A total of 10 teams are participating in this year’s competition.

FATA, Faisalabad, Karachi Blues, and Multan qualified via the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, whereas Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Peshawar, Sialkot, Lahore Whites, and Islamabad were among the top teams from the prior season.