Pakistan Cricket Board Unveils Trio Of New Domestic Cricket Competitions

Expanded season introduces new formats to elevate domestic play

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announces the launch of three new domestic cricket tournaments to enhance the competitive landscape in Pakistan /

By Mohamed Badaa

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the addition of three innovative competitions to the domestic cricket schedule for the upcoming season, which will span from September 2024 to August 2025. These new events aim to strengthen the bridge between domestic and international cricket.

As part of this expansion, the Champions tournament will feature five teams—Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions, and Wolves—competing across various formats. The Champions One-Day Cup will run from September 1 to 29, followed by the Champions T20 Cup from December 21 to January 2, and the Champions Pentagular for first-class cricket from May 28 to August 5. This development aligns with the PCB’s goal of enhancing the competitive edge of domestic cricket, as highlighted in their recent statement.

With these additions, Pakistan's domestic circuit will now include three first-class tournaments (Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, President's Trophy, and Champions Pentagular), two List A tournaments (President's Cup and Champions One-Day Cup), and three T20 competitions (National T20 Cup, PSL, and Champions T20 Cup). This increase in tournaments will elevate the number of senior men's matches from 203 to 261.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi emphasized the importance of these changes: "Our current standings—sixth in Tests, fourth in ODIs, and seventh in T20Is—do not reflect the true potential and legacy of Pakistan cricket. To restore our rightful place at the top of world cricket, we must innovate and strategically enhance, expand, and strengthen our domestic structure. The introduction of the three Champions tournaments is a bold step in this direction."

These tournaments will gather around 150 of Pakistan's top players, including centrally contracted athletes, fostering a competitive environment similar to international cricket. While the selection process details are yet to be disclosed, the initiative has garnered support from Waqar Younis, the new advisor to the PCB chair on cricket affairs. Younis will oversee the cricket operations within the board, mirroring the role of Rob Key at the ECB.

Each of the five teams will potentially have an owner and a mentor, in addition to the usual coaching staff, including a head coach, an analyst, and a media manager. Dedicated high-performance centers will be established in Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot.

Furthermore, the PCB has increased the salaries for domestic players, with Category 1 players now earning PKR 550,000, Category 2 earning PKR 400,000, and Category 3 receiving PKR 250,000. This is a significant raise from the previous contracts, which ranged from PKR 50,000 to PKR 300,000 across six categories.

Match fees have also seen a boost, with payments for domestic games rising from PKR 40,000 in white-ball formats to PKR 125,000 in 50-over cricket, PKR 100,000 in T20 cricket, and from PKR 80,000 to PKR 200,000 in red-ball cricket. These adjustments reflect the PCB's commitment to enhancing the value and competitiveness of domestic cricket in Pakistan.