LAHORE: A prize pot of Rs12.6 million will be up for grabs as Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024-25 begins today.

As many as 18 teams of the 16 regional sides will be in action across seven cities with Karachi Region Whites, defending champions of the premier first-class tournament, beginning this year’s campaign against Peshawar Region at the Ashfaq Ground in Charsadda.

The winner of the tournament will bag Rs7.5 million while the runners-up will collect Rs.4 million.

The 18 sides will be divided into three groups with Abbottabad Region, Faisalabad Region, Hyderabad Region, Islamabad Region, Lahore Region Whites and Larkana Region placed in Group-A. AJK Region, Bahawalpur Region, Karachi Region Whites, Multan Region, Peshawar Region and Rawalpindi Region are part of Group-B, while Dera Murad Jamali, FATA Region, Karachi Region Blues, Lahore Region Blues, Quetta Region and Sialkot Region are in Group-C.

Each side will get an opportunity to play a minimum of five matches in the group stage, with the top team from each group progressing to the triangular stage. In the triangular stage, the first-place team from each group will play two matches, with the top two sides qualifying for the final, set to take place from December 14 to 18. The venues of the triangular stage and the final will be confirmed in due course.

There are three venues i.e., Ashfaq Cricket Ground in Charsadda, Rana Naveed Cricket Academy in Sheikhupura and Saeed Sports City in Lahore. The three cricket grounds will stage five matches each in the group stage of the tournament.

Duke balls will be used in the red-ball Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024-25. This decision follows an extensive analysis of ground and pitch conditions across domestic venues, with the Duke-ball being custom-made to suit the characteristics of local pitches.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024