Pakistan face USA in Over40s Global Cup opener today

KARACHI: Hosts and title favourites Pakistan will take on USA in the opening match of the inaugural Over-40s Global Cup which explodes into action here at the National Stadium from Tuesday (today).

Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq will lead the home team's campaign in the eight-nation event which is also featuring Australia, West Indies, Canada, UAE, Nepal and Hong Kong. Misbah, 49, who last played for Pakistan in May 2017, said that he was looking forward to the tournament.

"It will be a different experience playing international cricket again," he told reporters here on Monday. "It will be a test for us to play 45-over matches in this event," he added.

Misbah will be among several former Pakistani stars including flamboyant allrounders Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq who will be taking part in the event being hosted by the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA).

Fawad Ijaz Khan, Chairman PVCA, was confident that the event will be staged in a successful manner. "We have made all arrangements to make this event a big success," he said. When Pakistan announced plans to host the event last year, it was labelled as the Over40s World Cup but later the name was changes on the instructions of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"The ICC believed that there will be confusion if we called it the World Cup which is why have changed it to Global Cup. The event has been sanctioned by the ICC," he said. He lamented that due to political situation, Indian cricket team is not taking part in the event.

But he added that PVCA will make efforts to stage a Pakistan-India veterans series soon. The Global Cup will be played from September 18 to October 2. A total of 36 matches are scheduled to be played during the tournament. National Bank Arena (formerly National Stadium), NBP Sports Complex, Karachi Gymkhana Cricket Ground, DHA Moin Khan Academy and DHA Southend Club Cricket Stadium will be the venues. The day matches will be played from 10 am to 4.45 pm while five day/night matches will be contested from 2:30 pm to 9:15 pm. Matches will be shown live by Geo Super.