Top players emerge as favorites for captaincy as Champions Cup approaches

The Champions One Day Cup is scheduled to start on September 12 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

According to a media report, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Saud Shakeel are strong contenders for the captaincy in the tournament.

Discussions are also ongoing regarding the inclusion of star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the Champions Cup. Waqar Younis is reportedly keen on including Shaheen Shah Afridi in his team, the Lions, to further work on his bowling skills.

In terms of team mentorship, Waqar Younis is expected to lead the Lions, Sarfaraz Ahmed will likely mentor the Dolphins, and Saqlain Mushtaq is set to guide the Panthers. Shoaib Malik has been chosen as the mentor for the Stallions.

Additionally, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has entrusted former Test cricketer and current director Nadeem Khan with additional responsibilities as the director for the Champions Cup. There have also been discussions about the drafting of centrally contracted players for the tournament.