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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced the domestic cricket schedule for the 2025–26 season, introducing a more competitive and merit-based structure.
The season will begin with the Hanif Mohammad Trophy on August 15 across Karachi, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rahim Yar Khan. Twelve regional teams have been split into two pools, with the top two finalists set to qualify for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which begins on September 22.
The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy has been reduced from 18 to just 8 teams. Six sides—Lahore Region Blues, Sialkot, Peshawar, Islamabad, Abbottabad, and Bahawalpur—have qualified automatically based on last season’s points table, while the remaining two will come from the Hanif Mohammad Trophy final.
This change puts Karachi, one of Pakistan’s most successful cricket regions with a record 21 titles, at risk of missing out on the country’s top first-class tournament for the first time. Karachi has no team among the six direct qualifiers and must now fight through the Hanif Mohammad Trophy to earn a spot.
The National T20 Cup will also feature a qualifier stage involving 10 teams. The top two will join eight directly qualified sides—including Karachi Region Blues and Whites—in the National T20 Super 10, set to take place in Faisalabad from March 1 to 12, 2026.
The domestic calendar also includes the President’s Trophy (first-class), President’s Cup (one-day), and Grade II and III tournaments, along with a wide range of youth, school, college, and inter-district competitions aimed at broad talent development.
Tentative schedule for men’s domestic season 2025–26:
Hanif Mohammad Trophy: Aug 15 – Sep 17
National U19 Cup: Sep 1 – Sep 16
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: Sep 22 – Nov 7
President’s Cup: Nov 24 – Dec 10
President’s Trophy: Dec 15 – Jan 30, 2026
National T20 Qualifier: Feb 3 – Feb 11, 2026
National T20 Super 10: Mar 1 – Mar 12, 2026
National U17 ODI Cup: Mar 28 – Apr 12, 2026
National U15 ODI Cup: Apr 16 – May 1, 2026
President’s Trophy Grade II: Mar 28 – May 3, 2026
President’s Trophy Grade III: Mar 28 – Apr 23, 2026
Regional Inter-District U19: Mar 28 – Apr 10, 2026
Challenge League: Oct 1 – Nov 10, 2025
Regional Inter-District Senior: May 10 – Jun 10, 2026
Club Cricket: Nov 2025 – Jun 2026
School Cricket: Sep – Oct 2025
College Cricket: Oct – Nov 2025
University Cricket: Nov – Dec 2025
The PCB says its goal is to focus on quality over quantity, giving top performers a more competitive platform across all levels.
