Quaid-e-Azam trophy: Silver edition gears up for ‘knockout’ stages

Points will continue to be added for the advanced rounds

KARACHI: After 42 league matches, the top eight teams of the Silver league of Quaid-e-Azam trophy —six departments and two regions — have reached the quarterfinals.

The top regional and departmental teams after the final of the Silver league will be promoted into the Gold league for the next edition.

The Silver league contains 14 teams, comprising of the five departmental squads that were ranked seventh to 11th in the previous season’s President’s Trophy, the departmental team that won the Grade-II Patron’s Trophy, and the eight regional teams ranked seventh to 14th in last season’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

The 14 teams were divided into two groups and after playing six league matches apiece, the top four teams from each group have qualified for the quarterfinals.

The eight teams will continue to be awarded points in the knockout stages with the same formula of the league matches. At the end of the final, the highest-ranked departmental and the highest-ranked regional team will be promoted into the Gold league. So in other words, the teams are vying to play an extra match in each knockout round and the team that will win the ‘final’ may not be promoted if its points tally is lower than any of its rivals.

Quetta Bears, the lowest ranked regional side, has been relegated from the Silver edition into the Grade II. However, PTV and SBP — the two bottom sides from the departments — will have a chance to save themselves from relegation by picking up wins in the knockout stages.

The Gold edition

Meanwhile, the Gold edition contains the top twelve teams; the top six departmental sides of last year’s President’s Trophy and the top six regional teams of last year’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. After playing 66 league matches, the bottom two sides will be relegated to the Silver edition.

Quarterfinal fixtures

PTV v Bahawalpur Stags

HBL v Hyderabad Hawks

KRL v SBP

SSGC v PTV

 

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.