Advertisement
Advertisement
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Monday, unveiled the schedule for the upcoming 2025-26 men’s domestic cricket season.
The domestic cricket season will commence on 15 August, with the 12-team Hanif Mohammad Trophy (non-first-class) being staged in Karachi, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan.
The teams are divided into two pools, with 31 matches scheduled in the four-day tournament. The top two sides will qualify for this season’s premier first-class competition – the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
The 12 regional sides participating in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy are the same teams that competed in last season’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
Based on last season’s standings, these are: Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, FATA, Lahore Region Blues, Hyderabad, Karachi Region Blues, Karachi Region Whites, Multan, Quetta, D.M Jamali, AJK and Larkana.
The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will feature Lahore Region Whites, Sialkot, Peshawar, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, and the two qualifying teams.
The tournament is set to begin on 22 September and will comprise 29 matches in a single-league format, with the final scheduled from 3 to 7 November.
Matches will be held at four venues across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with further details to be announced in due course.
To further enhance competitiveness, a qualifying stage has also been introduced for the National T20.
10 teams – Abbottabad, Multan, Quetta, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, FATA, Larkana, D.M. Jamali, and AJK will compete in the qualifier round.
These teams will be divided into two pools, with the top two sides progressing to the National T20 (Super 10) tournament, which will be held in Faisalabad from 1 to 12 March.
The eight teams automatically qualified for the Super 10 stage are Karachi Region Whites, Lahore Region Whites, Peshawar, Karachi Region Blues, Sialkot, Islamabad, and Faisalabad.
Four departmental domestic cricket tournaments – President’s Trophy (four-day, first-class), President’s Cup (One-Day), President’s Trophy Grade II, and President’s Trophy Grade III will also feature in this domestic season.
“The 2025-26 domestic season reflects our commitment to building a competitive and inclusive structure that nurtures talent at every level, from grassroots to senior cricket,” said Domestic Cricket Operations Abdullah Khurram Niazi.
“We have placed equal emphasis on both regional and departmental cricket. The inclusion of a first-class and a one-day tournament exclusively for departments, along with Grade II and Grade III departmental competitions, ensures departments remain a vital pillar of our domestic cricket system.
“We are looking forward to U15, U17 and U19 age-group tournaments this season. These competitions will serve as vital stepping stones for young talent, helping us identify and groom future national stars early in their careers.
“Also, the top performers of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy will not only be recognized as guest players by the top regions in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, but they will also be considered for domestic contracts, a move aimed at incentivizing excellence.”
Tentative dates for forthcoming men’s domestic tournaments:
Notably, schedules and other domestic cricket tournament details will be announced closer to the time.
READ: MLC 2025: Fletcher’s ton helps Knight Riders deny Unicorns top-two finish
