The stage is set for an exciting cricket showdown as Abbottabad and Rawalpindi gear up to host the 24 matches of the prestigious President Cup. The 50-over-a-side tournament is scheduled to kick off from April 24 and will culminate on May 12. Seven of Pakistan's leading departments will showcase their cricketing prowess in this high-stakes tournament. The participating teams include Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Pakistan Television (PTV), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Higher Education Commission (HEC), and Ghani. The competition will adopt a thrilling single-round-robin format, ensuring each team faces off against every other squad once. As the dust settles after 21 intense league matches, the top four teams will battle it out in the semi-finals for a chance to lift the coveted trophy.

The teams will be spearheaded by some notable captains, with Ahmed Shehzad leading WAPDA, Usman Salahuddin steering State Bank, Rohail Nazir captaining KRL, Moeez Ghani at the helm for Ghani Glass, Mohammad Harira leading HEC, Shamail Hussain guiding PTV, and SN Saud Shakil taking charge of GPL. With a total prize purse of a whopping 2.5 million Pakistani rupees up for grabs, the stakes are higher than ever. The victorious team will not only claim the championship trophy but also a handsome prize of 1.5 million Pakistani rupees. Cricket enthusiasts and fans of these esteemed departments are eagerly anticipating the thrilling matches and hoping for some exhilarating performances throughout the tournament.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan