Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday that the two-time ICC Event winner Sarfaraz Ahmed will serve as as mentor for the Dolphins side, which will be based at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi,. Dolphins will be one of the five sides to participate in the Champions One-Day Cup, which will be held in Faisalabad from 12-29 September. On September 14, Dolphins will launch their campaign against Saqlain Mushtaq’s Panthers, followed by matches against Misbah-ul-Haq’s Wolves on September 17, Shoaib Malik’s Stallions on September 19 and Waqar Younis’ Lions on September 22. The Champions One-Day Cup will feature country’s 150 best of the best cricketers. This will be a 50-over tournament that will be played on a single-league format. All but 16 September match between Lions and Panthers, which will start at 9.30am, will commence at 3pm. There will be three playoffs in four days with the final on Sunday, 29 September.

Sarfaraz Ahmed (Captained Pakistan to victories in the ICC U19 World Cup 2006 and ICC Champions Trophy 2017, was also a member of the Pakistan side that won the ACC Asia Cup 2012; led Pakistan to No.1 in ICC T20I Team Rankings; became the first Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter to score a World Cup century when he scored 101 not out against Ireland in Adelaide in 2015; holds the record for most dismissals in an ODI (all 6 catches); is only the second wicket-keeper to have captained his side in 50 or more ODIs; is 17th on the ODI list of wicket-keepers with 2,000 runs and 100 dismissals; played in two 50-over World Cups and one T20 World Cup) “Mentoring a highly-rated Dolphins side in what promises to be a keenly contested and hard-fought tournament is something I’m eagerly looking forward to. This will be a new experience for me and I’m excited about the opportunity to learn and further develop my skills as a cricket professional. “What makes this role even more exciting and challenging is that I will also be participating in the tournament as a player.

While my passion and drive to win each match remain as strong as ever, my role will also involve supporting and assisting the captain, players, and coaching staff to enhance their skills and become better players. “I am fully committed to this role and am eager to make a meaningful contribution to the Dolphins side, with whom I have been involved in some of the most memorable matches. These include the last-over loss to the Stallions in the 2007/08 T20 Cup final, a 78-run victory over the Bears in the 2009/10 Pentangular One-Day Cup final and a 37-run loss to the Lions in the 2010/11 T20 Cup final. “With the country’s best players and top-notch coaches under the watchful eyes of experienced former stalwarts as mentors, I am confident that this Champions One-Day Cup will exceed the expectations of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the passionate Pakistan cricket fans, whose unwavering support is always crucial. I believe all players will deliver their best performances, making this tournament an overwhelming success.” Schedule of the Dolphins matches (all matches will begin at 3pm):

September 14 – Dolphins v Panthers

September 17 – Dolphins v Wolves

September 19 – Stallions v Dolphins

September 22 – Dolphins v Lions

Credit: Independent News Pakistan