Pakistan Cup to starts on April 2: Kamran Akmal vows to provide stiff challenge to opposition

Punjab cricket team captain Kamran Akmal has backed his squad's potential of winning the prestigious Pakistan Cup 2019 trophy, when the five-team tournament commences at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, on April 2.
"We have a well-balanced squad with capable batsmen and bowlers, we have a good combination for the tournament, and we really want to perform well for our Punjab team." Kamran said. All 11 matches of the tournament will be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, with the top two sides from the single-league competition progressing to the 12 April final. Punjab are searching for their maiden Pakistan Cup title. Their best performance to date was in the inaugural edition in 2016 when they reached the final. They failed to finish in the top two in the 2017 and 2018 editions.
Kamran maintained Punjab had an explosive batting line-up that could provide a stiff challenge to the opposition bowling attacks. "I feel we have some quality performers in the batting department. Khurram Manzoor, Sami Aslam, Iftikhar Ahmed and Fahad Iqbal give batting a good shape with their experience and pedigree, I really like the combination and I hope the batsmen will deliver for us," the wicketkeeper batsman said.
Kamran, who has represented Pakistan in 53 Tests, 157 ODIs and 58 T20Is, reposed confidence in his team's bowling and said: "Mohammad Asghar and Kashif Bhatti lead our spin department, while we have the experienced Mohammad Sami and Bilawal Bhatti leading our pace attack with Ehsan Adil. Sohail Tanveer, a versatile white ball performer, also gives us real bowling depth."
Punjab will face Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Federal Areas and Sindh on April 2, 5, 8, 11 & 12, respectively.
Punjab squad: Kamran Akmal (WK, captain); Bilawal Bhatti; Ehsan Adil; Fahad Iqbal; Hussain Talat; Iftikhar Ahmed; Kashif Bhatti; Khurram Manzoor; Mohammad Asghar; Mohammad Sami; Ramiz Aziz; Saad Ali; Sami Aslam; Sohail Tanveer and Waleed Ahmed.