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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Tuesday, introduced a three-tier departmental structure for the 2025-26 domestic season.
The new system, set to run from August 2025 to May 2026, features more than 40 departments split across three divisions: Grade I, Grade II, and the newly introduced Grade III, a first in the structure’s history.
Aimed at adding competitiveness and clarity to progression, the reformed model includes promotion and relegation between all three tiers.
The season will span first-class, List A, three-day, and two-day formats, offering players varied exposure across formats.
Grade-III will see two-day matches scheduled in March-April 2026. Teams were slotted into this division based on their performances in the 2024-25 President’s Trophy Grade-II.
The top two Grade-III teams will earn promotion, while the bottom two from Grade-II will be relegated in the next domestic season.
The Grade-II circuit, featuring 14 teams, including 12 top performers from last season and two relegated from Grade-I, will compete in three-day matches from March to May 2026.
President’s Trophy Grade-II Teams: Ahmed Glass, Ghani Institute, JDW Sugar Mills, Kingsmen, MIT Solutions, PAF, PHA Rawalpindi, Port Qasim, Railways, Sardar Group, Vital Tea, Wing 999 Sports, along with HEC and Eshaal Associates.
The Grade-I departments will kick off the season with the 50-over President’s Cup in November–December, followed by the first-class President’s Trophy. The same eight teams will feature in both events.
Grade-I Participants: Ghani Glass, KRL, OGDCL, PTV, Sahir Associates, SBP, SNGPL, and WAPDA.
While the President’s Cup will consist of 31 List A matches, the President’s Trophy will feature 29 red-ball fixtures and wrap up in January 2026.
Bottom two teams from Grade I will be demoted, with Grade II’s best two earning promotion for the next season, ensuring constant competition and mobility.
The PCB also confirmed plans for a standalone 50-over competition for Grade-II sides next year’s domestic season, further broadening the domestic calendar.
Additionally, the board is encouraging departments to form women’s teams as part of its initiative to strengthen the women’s cricketing ecosystem, with further details expected soon.
PCB’s Director of Domestic Cricket Operations, Abdullah Khurram Niazi, hailed the development as a long-term investment in Pakistan’s cricketing future.
“Departmental cricket has become the backbone of our domestic season for the third consecutive year. This three-tier model incentivises performance, ensures competitiveness, and provides over 400 players the opportunity to represent their institutions on a national stage.”
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