LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has strategically appointed mentors from the recently concluded Champions One-Day Cup to key roles in its high-performance centers across the country to support player development in various academies. Five veteran cricketers have been assigned leadership positions in these centres. Sarfaraz Ahmed will oversee the Karachi Academy, Shoaib Malik will lead the Sialkot Academy and Waqar Younis has been entrusted with the Lahore Academy. Saqlain Mushtaq takes charge of Multan Academy while Misbah-ul-Haq will mentor the players at Faisalabad Academy. These mentors with attractive contracts are expected to engage in year-round cricketing activities in association with the PCB, ensuring continuous support for rising talent across Pakistan. Meanwhile, Panthers beat Markhorse by five wickets at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad in the final of the tournament. Markhors struggled to put together a competitive score as they managed just 123 runs in 33.4 overs. Despite Fakhar Zaman’s spirited 46-run effort, the Panthers’ bowlers – Mohammad Hasnain, Arafat Minhas and Sajid Khan – dominated with three wickets. Led by Shadab Khan, the Panthers successfully chased down the target in just 18 overs to clinch the title in the inaugural edition of the Champions One-Day Cup
