Pakistan Cricket’s Domestic Structure Changed Once Again

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to revamp the current domestic structure with the introduction of five new teams in the upcoming domestic season of 2024-25.

These five teams will be inculcated in all the formats and will have a separate tournament for each format where top-tier cricketers will compete against each other. It will be an all-format five-team ‘champions’ tournament.

PCB’s new domestic structure will operate independently from the existing 16 regional sides that compete in Pakistan’s current domestic setup.

The new teams will remain active throughout the year, ensuring continuous development and engagement for top-tier players.

The PCB has selected the top 150 cricketers based on their performances over the past three years. These players will be divided into squads of 30, each receiving support from dedicated mentors.

To further enhance the development and professionalism of these new teams, the PCB plans to enlist five high-profile former cricketers as mentors.

By creating this elite layer, the PCB aims to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket, offering players a platform to develop their skills.

The Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB is planning to abolish the Pakistan Cup and will only continue with the Quaid-e-Azam trophy as well as the National T20 Cup.

9 teams are set to participate in the year’s President’s Trophy which is a first-class tournament while the President’s Cup which is a competitive domestic ODI tournament for departments in Pakistan will continue.

Champions one-day cup will be inculcated to accommodate the five new teams that will also compete in this competition. Later in the season, they will also take part in domestic first-class and T20 competitions.

The domestic season will kickstart on 1st September and this will be the second successive time that the domestic structure will see a total revamp by the PCB.