Pakistan Shaheens gear up for Darwin challenge
The first ball of the match will be bowled at 7pm local time (3.30pm PKT). The tournament matches will be broadcast live on A-Sports and live-streamed on ARY ZAP in Pakistan.
Since their arrival in Darwin on 10th August, the 15-member squad has undergone three practice sessions under the coaching staff led by Ghulam Ali.
The 11-team tournament comprising 13 matches will be played from August 14 to 24 across five venues in Darwin. Shaheens, who featured in the inaugural T20 edition in 2023 led by Rohail Nazir, lost to Northern Territory Strike by 46 runs in the final. In last year's edition, Shaheens captained by Mohammad Haris lost to Adelaide Strikers in the first semi-final by 30 runs.
Muhammad Irfan Khan on the eve of the tournament said, 'We are aiming to take the best possible combination into the match. Bangladesh 'A' are also a strong side, so our focus will be on fielding the right combination, especially as this is the first game of the tournament and we want to start well.'
Irfan said, 'We have trained according to the conditions and each player has been given a specific role to perform. The main focus is to execute those roles effectively in the match so that the team can achieve success. We are stepping onto the field with great energy and determination and will be putting in our utmost effort to deliver strong performances in the tournament.'
15-member squad: Muhammad Irfan Khan (captain), Abdul Samad, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wicket-keeper), Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Faiq, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Mubasir Khan, Saad Masood, Shahid Aziz, Ubaid Shah and Yasir Khan.
Pakistan Shaheens fixtures:
14 Aug – vs Bangladesh 'A', TIO Stadium (7pm local time);
16 Aug – vs Scorchers, TIO Stadium (4pm local time);
18 Aug – vs Renegades, TIO Stadium (6pm local time);
19 Aug – vs Kingsmen, DXC Arena (1pm local time);
20 Aug – vs Strikers, DXC Arena (7pm local time);
22 Aug – vs Nepal, DXC Arena (7pm local time) and
24 Aug – Semi-finals and final.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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