Lahore Lions receive invitation for Champions League T20 2014

Shoaib Malik in action for Sialkot Stallions during the 2012 CL T20

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have ignored Pakistan cricketers in the IPL, in the aftermath of the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Being the largest stakeholders in the Champions League T20 (CL T20), the Indian cricket board haven’t had a problem in allowing teams from Pakistan to participate in the global event in recent times.

Pakistan formally received invitation of Champions League in India. Lahore Lions will represent Pakistan in #clt20

— Umar Farooq Kalson (@kalson) July 15, 2014

Lahore Lions will be taking part in the 2014 edition of the CLT20, which is scheduled for October, and will be the sole representatives from Pakistan. The format of the competition is such that only the winner of the domestic T20 competition in Pakistan is granted an invitation to the short two-week T20 tournament.

The Lahore Lions are captained by Pakistani international Mohammad Hafeez and will be hoping to reach further in the competition than other teams from Pakistan have managed in the past.

Sialkot Stallions, champions of Pakistan’s domestic T20 in 2012, were the 1st Pakistani representatives in the CL T20 during the year 2012. They had a place in the qualifying group and had to win their group to proceed further in the competition. Despite possessing distinguished cricketers like Shoaib Malik and Imran Nazir, they were unable to do so and went home without the tournament proper even starting.

Faisalabad Wolves, participants last year, suffered a similar fate to their predecessors as they crashed out during the qualifying stage itself after managing to win just a solitary game.