Just days ahead of the Oppo Champions League T20 2014 opening day, it’s now been confirmed that the Lahore Lions will be playing at the tournament in India.
Lahore Lions
The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed recently that the team has been issued a visa and clearance for the upcoming games.
An unnamed Board official said: “The Indian High Commission has issued visas and we have received the tickets for the Lahore Lions to travel to India on schedule on September 9th.”
The developments were described as “very positive” and spokespersons for the PCB have said that they will pave the way for Shaharyar Khan, chairman of the PCB, to have meaningful discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India officials in the future.
He continued: “It means that we can now also discuss the issue of Pakistani players being allowed in the Indian Premier League and the bilateral series agreement.”
The news means that the Lahore Lions will now take part in the qualifying matches of the Champions League. Led by Mohammad Hafeez, the Lions’ first fixture will see them take on the Indian Premier League’s Mumbai Indians at the International Cricket Stadium in Raipur on September 13th. The Lions should be prepared to give it their all at their first qualifying stage – already, Coral bookmakers are giving the Mumbai Indians odds of 7/1 to win the entire championship.
Perhaps interestingly, if the Lahore Lions do make it into the main rounds, then they will miss the National Twenty20 Regional Tournament, which is to be held in Multan later this month from September 16th to September 28th.
“Even if Lahore Lions qualify for the main rounds, they will get a direct entry into the national T20 Super Eight event, which will be held next year,” added the Board official. The winner of the forthcoming event will be given the right to represent Pakistan in the Champions League T20. It’s an honour that has previously been bestowed upon Pakistan’s Sialkot Stallions and Faisalabad Wolves, and this year could just be in the hands of the Lahore Lions.
The Lions have some very promising talent on their roster this year, which includes Ahmed Shehzad and brothers Umar and Kamran Akmal, who have both competed in One Day Internationals for Pakistan. Meanwhile, Twenty20 veteran Nasir Jamshed will also be taking part, along with Pakistan national batsman Wahab Riaz.