Aima Baig to perform at Champions One-Day Cup opening ceremony

Renowned Pakistani singer Aima Baig will perform at the opening ceremony of the Champions One-Day Cup, scheduled to take place today at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium.

The highly anticipated match between the Mohammad Rizwan-led UMT Markhors and the Shadab Khan-led Panthers will follow the ceremony.

Aima’s performance is expected to add excitement to the star-studded tournament, showcasing Pakistan’s cricketing talent across five teams.

The tournament, which will feature top cricket players from across Pakistan, will begin at 3 p.m. local time.

The event has been organised with the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in mind, providing a platform for standout performers to boost their chances of national team selection.

The total prize pool for the tournament is set at RS 49 million, with the winner receiving RS 30 million and the runner-up awarded RS 15 million. The tournament will culminate on September 29, with the final to be held at the same venue.

The tournament will feature the country’s top cricket talent in a single-league format. Five teams—Dolphins, UMT Markhors, Panthers, Allied Bank Stallions, and Nurpur Lions—are participating, each guided by prominent mentors.

Saud Shakeel will captain the Dolphins, with Sarfaraz Ahmed as their mentor; the Lions will be led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, with guidance from Waqar Younis; Mohammad Haris will take charge of the Stallions, supported by Shoaib Malik; Mohammad Rizwan will captain the Markhors, mentored by Misbah-ul-Haq; and Shadab Khan will lead the Panthers, with Saqlain Mushtaq as their mentor.

Matches will generally begin at 3 p.m. local time, except for the September 16 Lions vs. Panthers game, which will start at 9:30 a.m. The tournament consists of 13 league matches and three playoff games, with the final set for Sunday, September 29.