Kabul, February 08, 2024: The 16th edition of the Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan Provincial Grade I Tournament, the second domestic cricket event of the year, will kick off on February 10. The event features 12 provincial teams that are divided into 2 groups and will be played across four different venues in Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces.
The tournament will be played in a one-day format with a total of 33 games spread out over 15 days until February 24. The 12 competing teams will be divided into 2 groups of 6 teams each, with each team playing the other teams in their group once. Two teams with the most points in each group will advance to the Semi-Finals of the event.
Eight teams – Nangarhar (Speenghar Region Combined Team), Kunduz, Kabul, Khost A, Helmand, Khost (Mis-e-Ainak Region Combined Team), Faryab and Kabul A – qualified for the event by topping their groups in the recently held WAK Provincial Grade II Tournament in January.
In addition, the teams “ACB XI,” “ACB XI – 2,” “Chairman XI,” and “Chairman XI – 2” are also part of the event. This ensures that deserving players from Grade II have the opportunity to showcase their talents at the Grade I level. Furthermore, the domestic selection committee has selected top-performing List A and First Class cricketers to play alongside the younger players from the Grade II tournament. These experienced players will share their valuable insights and help the emerging cricketers to enhance their skills.
Group A features Nangarhar (Speenghar Region Combined Team), Kunduz, Kabul, Khost A, ACB XI-2, and Chairman XI, which will compete across two venues in Nangarhar province. Group B comprises Helmand, Khost (Mis-e-Ainak Region Combined Team), Faryab and Kabul A, ACB XI, and Chairman XI-2, playing across two venues in Kandahar province.
The Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan Provincial Grade I event is the second of several domestic events planned for the year 2025, which will be followed by numerous white and red-ball events.