“Al Barakah T20 Canada 2008” is the title given to the T20 cricket series over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend at Maple Leaf Cricket Club, King City, Ontario. ICC Full Members Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe join hosts Canada in the tourney that runs from October 10 thru 13.

Teams meet in round-robin over the first three days, with the top two meeting in Monday’s final. Two matches are scheduled per day at 9.30 am and 1 pm Eastern time. Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe replaced original invitees Bangladesh and West Indies. Canada held a national camp last week at the Maple Leaf ground.

Tournament information has on been posted on the Cricket Canada website (www.canadiancricket.org), including links to purchase tickets and to a tournament web-site. Daily general admission tickets range from $30 (Friday) to $50 (Monday’s final). A four-day ticket costs $120 and the Silver stand costs $100 per day.

Al Barakah is a Dubai-based real estate group founded in 2007. Two event partners are so-far named on the event web-site: Media Agency Middle East, and Sports International Marketing.

Schedule:

• Oct 10 (Fri) : 9.30 am Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe ; 1 pm Pakistan v Canada
• Oct 11 (Sat) : 9.30 am Canada v Zimbabwe ; 1 pm Pakistan v Sri Lanka
• Oct 12 (Sun): 9.30 am Pakistan v Zimbabwe ; 1 pm Sri Lanka v Canada
• Oct 13 (Mon) 9.30 am 3rd v 4th: 1 pm Final (1st v 2nd)

Squads named so far;

Sri Lankan squad: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Udawatte, Chamara Kapugedera, Jehan Mubarak, Thilina Kandamby, Farveez Maharoof, Thilina Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Ajantha Mendis, Dilhara Fernando, Jeevantha Kulatunga, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Kaushalya Weeraratne.

Zimbabwe squad :Prosper Utseya (capt), Regis Chakabva, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Keith Dabengwa, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Taurai Muzarabani, Raymond Price, Tatenda Taibu and Cephas Zhuwao.