CAG will lock horns with Yorks CC in the opening match of the 28th All India JP Atray Memorial Cricket tournament at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium, Chandigarh, that begins on September 20.
The UT Cricket Association will take on Minerva CA in another match on the same day.
As many as 16 teams have been drawn into four pools of four teams each for the 11-day tournament, which will culminate with the final at IS Bindra PCA Stadium, Mohali, on September 30.
The tournament, featuring 50-over matches, will be played on league-cum-knock-out basis.
Apart from the Chandigarh and Mohali cricket stadiums, matches will also be played at PCA’s New International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur; GMSSS, Sector 26; Mahajan Cricket Ground, Chandigarh; Government College Cricket Ground, Rupnagar, and Dhruv Pandove Cricket Stadium, Patiala.
Tournament’s convener Vivek Atray said, “Despite the crowded domestic calendar, we have been able to eke out 11 days, encompassing 27 matches at six venues, with the candid help and support of the PCA management and UT sports department.”
“We have been receiving excellent support from the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) for running this tournament for the last 25 years. Over the years, this tournament has seen more than 100 players who have gone on to don national colours,” he added.
The long list included Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma, Mahinder Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Wasim Jaffar, Varinder Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashish Nehra, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Singh Chahal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Jaspreet Bumrah. , Hardik Pandya, Kurnal Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Rishab Pant, Abhishek Sharma Arshdeep Singh and many more, he said.
Apart from the trophy, the winners will take home a cash prize of ₹2 lakh, while the runners- up will get a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.
16 teams to vie for title
Pool A: PCC, FCI, India Cement and Uttarakhand.
Pool B: HPCA, Yorks Cricket Club, CAG and Rann Star Cricket Club
Pool C: UTCA Chandigarh, Players XI Delhi, Reliance India and Minerva Cricket Academy
Pool D: JKCA, Amigo Sports Academy, Indian Railways and Delhi Blue Cricket Club