LAHORE – The inaugural Punjab Chief Minister Summer Cricket League will roll into action from April 18 at 15 grounds of the city. The event is an effort by the Lahore City Cricket Association to revive club cricket on the pattern of summer leagues organised in the past.
President LCCA, Khawaja Nadim Ahmad, said that National Gymkhana will meet Pindi Gymkhana in the opening match at LCCA ground. He said in all 550 matches will be played in the event. “The main objective of this league is to revive club cricket and to motivate youth to take up cricket as sport,” he said.
“Lahore was once known as the hub of cricket activities at grass root level and the league is being revived after a lapse of 28 years to reestablish Lahore’s status as the nursery of cricket,” he added. He said the affiliated three Zone of the LCCA have different pools to accommodate their respective teams in the league. East Zone teams have been placed in six pools, west zone in six pools and north in five.
“From each Zone six top teams will qualify for the super league stage and 40 players will be selected to form two Lahore teams and would be given LCCA central contracts for which the PCB will extend financial assistance in three categories — Rs 20 thousands, 15 thousands and Rs 10 thousand.
The LCCA chief said Rs three million were required to organise the CM summer league and they will be approaching the Punjab Government to extend financial assistance besides seeking sponsorship from private sector on the same pattern as the recently concluded Lahore Premier League.
He said the LCCA has announced a panel of umpires to supervise the matches and has barred the umpires of their respective zones to supervise their own zone matches.
