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.
| 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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