PCB launches new dept structure
In a historic first, the Pakistan Cricket Board has introduced a three-tiered Departmental cricket structure in the Domestic cricket season 2025-26, which is set to begin in August and will conclude in May 2026.
Over 40 departments from the length and breadth of the country have been divided into three tiers – Grade-I, II and III with one First-class, one List-A, one three-day and one two-day matches competition slated to take place across the season.
Earlier, there were only two tiers but to make the departmental cricket more competitive and relegation promotion oriented, Grade-III will be introduced in this season, where the teams will compete in a two-day matches competition in March and April 2026.
Teams for the Grade-III tournament have been determined based on points table standings in the 2024-25 President's Trophy Grade-II tournament. The top two teams in Grade-III will qualify for the next season's G-II, while the bottom two teams of the G-II will be relegated to the third tier.
A total of 12 teams have qualified for the President's Trophy Grade-II based on their points in the previous iteration of the tournament, while they will be joined by the two relegated teams from the Grade-I competition to form the 14-team tournament.
The G-II teams include Ahmed Glass, Ghani Institute, JDW Sugar Mills, Kingsmen, MIT Solutions, PAF, PHA Rawalpindi, Port Qasim, Railways, Sardar Group, Vital Tea, Wing 999 Sports, HEC (relegated) and Eshaal Associates (relegated).
The 14-team President's Trophy Grade-II comprising of three-day matches is slated to take place from March to May 2026, where winner will have the opportunity to go one step ahead and qualify for the first-class and List-A departmental tournament for the next season. In the next season the PCB intends to add a 50-over competition for Grade-II teams as well.
The first departmental tournament in the upcoming domestic season is the 50-over President's Cup which is set to take place right after the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in November and December. The tournament will consist of 31 List-A matches.
The participating teams are Ghani Glass, Khan Research Laboratories, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited, Pakistan Television, Sahir Associates, State Bank of Pakistan, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, and Water and Power Development Authority.
Right after the one-day tournament, the same eight departments will compete in the 29-match first-class competition – President's Trophy, which will conclude in January 2026. The bottom two teams will be relegated paving the way for the winners of the Grade-II tournament hence creating a highly competitive top to bottom departmental cricket structure.
Apart from the men's domestic game, some of the departments are also expected to assemble their women's teams in the coming months in order to strengthen the women's domestic structure as well. The details will be shared in due course.
Director Domestic Cricket Operations, Abdullah Khurram Niazi: "The departmental cricket has become the bedrock of our domestic cricket season for the third year straight. The PCB is proud and highly appreciates the efforts of more than 40 departments in helping Pakistan cricket grow by investing in talent and taking part in the domestic cricket season.
"We have incentivised the departmental cricket by dividing it into three tiers and creating a highly competitive structure for all the teams, which will surely lead to enhancing the quality of our domestic cricket.
"I eagerly look forward to seeing more than 400 players deservingly taking part in our domestic season representing various departments as we strive for the betterment and growth of cricket on the domestic front."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Another tri-series on cards involving Pakistan
Pakistan's players celebrate as Bangladesh's Tanzid Hasan (R) walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the first Twenty20 international cricket match between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on July 20. Photo: AFP Listen to article It looks like Pakistan are set to be involved in another tri-series next year with Australia and potentially Bangladesh, scheduled for February 2026. The series is likely to be played ahead of the T20 World Cup, a source within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed. Cricket Australia has a longstanding tradition of touring the subcontinent ahead of major ICC events to acclimatise properly. In 2021, Australia toured Bangladesh for a five-match T20I series and, similarly, played a Test and ODI series in Sri Lanka to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year. With India and Sri Lanka scheduled to host the mega event in February–March, Australia are set to play three T20Is against Pakistan. However, discussions are underway to convert the bilateral series into a tri-nation competition. Read More: Bangladesh take second T20I for first series win over Pakistan A BCB official confirmed that, at this stage, no formal proposal has been tabled by the Pakistan Cricket Board, but informal conversations have taken place on the sidelines of the ongoing Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Dhaka. According to local media, the PCB is eager to include Bangladesh in the series following improved bilateral relations between the two boards. It is expected that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will formally discuss the tri-nation proposal with BCB counterpart Aminul Islam Bulbul on the sidelines of the ACC meeting. Naqvi, who is also the ACC President, is currently in Dhaka for the ACC Annual General Meeting scheduled for July 24–25. If finalised, the series would feature seven matches, with each team playing the other two sides twice, followed by a final between the top two. Meanwhile, a similar initiative is in motion involving Pakistan's scheduled T20I series against Afghanistan. On July 5, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) Chairman Mirwais Ashraf confirmed that talks are underway to transform the series into a tri-nation tournament, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the third team and host. Also Read: Faheem slams Mirpur pitch The ACB chief further stated that the proposed tri-nation series will serve as a vital opportunity for their men's cricket team to prepare for the ACC Men's Asia Cup, scheduled for later this year.
Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Asia Cup decision expected soon as ACC chief Naqvi confirms ongoing talks with India
Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday that discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are ongoing and expressed confidence that all matters related to the 2025 Asia Cup will be resolved soon. Speaking to the media following the conclusion of the ACC's Annual General Meeting in Dhaka, Naqvi thanked all 25 member nations for their participation and praised the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for hosting the event. 'These two days were truly memorable. The environment was positive and constructive. No one wants politics; we are all here to work for cricket,' Naqvi said. 'A decision regarding the Asia Cup will be made soon. It's a team effort, and we will continue to hold such meetings.' While the format and venue for the 2025 Asia Cup have not yet been officially confirmed, sources suggest the tournament is likely to go ahead in September as scheduled, with the United Arab Emirates emerging as a potential neutral host. The Asia Cup is expected to be held in the T20 format as a build-up to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in early 2026. BCCI attends ACC meeting virtually amid tensions In a significant late development, the BCCI chose to participate in the ACC Annual General Meeting virtually, reversing its earlier position amid ongoing political tensions in the region. Indian media had previously reported that the board might skip the meeting due to strained diplomatic ties with Bangladesh and Pakistan. The meeting, chaired by ACC chief and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, was held at a Dhaka hotel and began at 1pm Pakistan Standard Time. According to ACC officials, all of the council's 25 members confirmed their participation, with several, including India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, joining via video link. India currently holds the official hosting rights for the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup. However, given the sensitivities involved, particularly following heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan in May, hosting the event in the UAE has been floated as a compromise. The Indian media even reported last month that the board had decided to pull out of the tournament - a rumour soon rejected by the BCCI officials. Both the BCCI and PCB have historically opposed playing bilateral matches on each other's soil, leading to last year's Asia Cup being played under a hybrid model. That precedent may inform the final decision for this year's tournament. Naqvi acknowledged the challenges of coordinating attendance for such high-level meetings, noting, 'Some couldn't travel to Dhaka due to scheduling issues, just like I couldn't go to Singapore once. The important thing is, all members were present and engaged.' He added that discussions with the Bangladesh board on other cricket-related matters were also ongoing and 'fruitful.' An official announcement regarding the 2025 Asia Cup is expected in the coming days.
Express Tribune
16 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan, Bangladesh agree to relax visa rules
Listen to article In a significant step towards strengthening bilateral ties, Pakistan and Bangladesh have agreed in principle to allow visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports. The breakthrough was achieved during a high-level meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh's Home Minister Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury in Dhaka on Wednesday. Naqvi, who is also head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is in Dhaka to attend the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). On the sidelines, he held talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart as part of ongoing efforts by the two sides to reset their ties. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh have seen a positive turnaround since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina Wajid government in August 2023. Following the end of 15-year Awami League rule, Pakistan and Bangladesh stepped up efforts to restore their bilateral ties. There have been increased bilateral exchanges between the two sides. The visit of Naqvi was the latest example of those increased interactions. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was also supposed to visit Dhaka in late April but tensions between Pakistan and India led to the delay in the landmark trip. The decision by the two sides to allow visa free entry to those who hold diplomatic and official passports is seen as significant step. During the Hasina government, Pakistani diplomat had to face increase scrutiny and surveillance. Pakistani exports to Dhaka also faced non tarrif barriers. But those restrictions have been lifted by the interim Bangladesh government. A statement issued here by the interior ministry said, the Bangladeshi Home Minister extended a warm welcome to his Pakistani counterpart, who was presented with a guard of honour upon his arrival at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Describing the visit as "of great significance for strengthening bilateral relations," Chowdhury thanked Minister Naqvi for offering training opportunities for Bangladeshi police officers. During the talks, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in internal security, police training, counter-narcotics, anti-human trafficking, and counter-terrorism efforts. Exchange programs between police academies of the two countries were also discussed. It was decided to establish a joint committee to further boost bilateral cooperation, which will be headed by Pakistan's Federal Secretary for Interior, Khurram Agha. Additionally, a high-level Bangladeshi delegation will soon visit the National Police Academy in Islamabad. The meeting was attended by Bangladesh's State Minister for Home Affairs Khuda Bakhsh, Secretary for Home Affairs Nasim Al-Ghani, Additional Secretary Security Division Shamim Khan, Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires Muhammad Wasif, Political Counsellor Kamran Dehingal, and other senior officials.
