The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a packed and restructured domestic cricket calendar for the 2025-26 season, signalling a renewed effort on merit, competitiveness, and clear progression pathways across all formats.
The highlight of the upcoming season is the return of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to an eight-team format from the previous 18-team competition, as the PCB attempts to ensure that only the most deserving regional sides compete at the highest domestic level. This year’s edition will run from 22 September to 7 November, featuring 29 matches at venues across Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
But before that, 12 regional teams will battle it out in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, a non-first-class competition starting 15 August. The top two teams from this tournament will earn their place in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, a move the PCB says will “reward performance, not reputation.”
The PCB has also given the National T20 a competitive shake-up in the new domestic schedule. A qualifying stage will feature 10 regional teams in February 2026, with the top two joining eight pre-qualified sides for the Super 10 stage in Faisalabad next year.
Departmental cricket, long considered vital for player employment and development, retains its place with dedicated competitions: the President’s Trophy (first-class), President’s Cup (one-day), and lower-tier Grade II and III tournaments.
With school, college, university, and club cricket also on the calendar, the 2025-26 domestic schedule promises to be one of the most comprehensive and performance-focused presented by the PCB in recent years, aiming to prepare the next generation of Pakistan cricket stars.
Details regarding certain competitions will be announced in due time.
PCB’s Complete Domestic Schedule:
| Tournament | Dates | Teams | Matches | Format | Venues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanif Mohammad Trophy (non-first-class) | 15 Aug to 17 Sep 2025 | 12 | 31 | Four-day | — |
| National U19 Cup | 1-16 Sep 2025 | 18 | 49 | One-day | 9 |
| Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) | 22 Sep to 7 Nov 2025 | 8 | 29 | Four-day | 4 |
| President’s Cup (One-Day) (Departmental) | 24 Nov to 10 Dec 2025 | 8 | 31 | One-day | 4 |
| President’s Trophy (first-class) (Departmental) | 15 Dec 2025 to 30 Jan 2026 | 8 | 29 | First-class | 4 |
| National T20 (Qualifier) | 3-11 Feb 2026 | 12 | 30 | T20 | 6 |
| National T20 (Super 10) | 1-12 Mar 2026 | 10 | 23 | T20 | 1 |
| National U17 Cup (One-Day) | 28 Mar to 12 Apr 2026 | 18 | 49 | One-day | 9 |
| National U15 Cup (One-Day) | 16 Apr to 1 May 2026 | 18 | 49 | One-day | 9 |
| President’s Trophy Grade II (Three-Day) (Dept) | 28 Mar to 3 May 2026 | 14 | 46 | Three-day | 6 |
| President’s Trophy Grade III (Two-Day) (Dept) | 28 Mar to 23 Apr 2026 | 14 | 46 | Two-day | 6 |
| Regional Inter-District U19 | 28 Mar to 10 Apr 2026 | — | 110 | — | — |
| Challenge League (Two-Day) | 1 Oct to 10 Nov 2025 | — | — | Two-day | — |
| Regional Inter-District Senior | 10 May to 10 Jun 2026 | — | — | — | — |
| Club Cricket Tournament | Nov 2025 to Jun 2026 | — | — | — | — |
| School Cricket | Sep-Oct 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| College Cricket | Oct-Nov 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| University Cricket | Nov-Dec 2025 | — | — | — | — |
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