Faysal Bank T-20 Cup: Rain washes away day one of tournament

Five matches abandoned; players question venue selection again.

KARACHI: The Faysal Bank T20 Tournament started on the wrong foot as all five matches on the opening day were washed out in Rawalpindi and Islamabad due to persistent rainfall.

Earlier, The Express Tribune had run a story about players being discontent with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the selection of the venues for the tournament as the conditions were unfavourable for their preparations for the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh

There were fears that the event will not give appropriate practice to the players ahead of the mega event and those fears have gained strength as rain spoiled the first day of the competition.

Three matches were to be played in Islamabad; the Bahawalpur Stags and Dera Murad Jamali Ibexes were to lock horns at the Diamond Ground.

Fata Cheetahs and Multan Tigers were scheduled to play at the Marghzar Ground, while Hyderabad Hawks and Karachi Dolphins had to battle it out at the National Ground.

Meanwhile, defending champions Faisalabad Wolves led by Misbahul Haq were to take on Peshawar Panthers at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi while another game was to be played at the same venue between Larkana Bulls and Quetta Bears.

Several international players have voiced concerns, that centres such as Marghazar and National Grounds will not have ideal conditions for day two as well.

“There are no covers on the square of National and Marghzar,” a Karachi Dolphins’ player told The Express Tribune. “The outfields have just one cover on the main pitch, which will make it difficult to play there on day two as well.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2014.

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