LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has launched a comprehensive three-tier departmental cricket structure for the 2025-26 domestic season, which is scheduled to take place from August 2025 to May 2026.
This newly introduced framework replaces the previous two-tier model and features over 40 departments from across the country.
Teams have been categorised into Grade-I, Grade-II, and the newly introduced Grade-III, creating a merit-based system with promotion and relegation across the tiers.
New competitive format
The Grade-III tournament will consist of two-day matches held in March and April 2026. Teams for this tier have been selected based on their performance in the 2024-25 President’s Trophy Grade-II. The top two teams from Grade-III will be promoted, while the bottom two from Grade-II will be relegated.
Twelve teams have qualified for the 2025-26 President’s Trophy Grade-II competition, based on the previous season’s points standings. They will be joined by two relegated teams from Grade-I, forming a 14-team three-day tournament.
Grade-II teams finalised
The teams competing in Grade-II are Ahmed Glass, Ghani Institute, JDW Sugar Mills, Kingsmen, MIT Solutions, PAF, PHA Rawalpindi, Port Qasim, Railways, Sardar Group, Vital Tea, Wing 999 Sports, as well as HEC and Eshaal Associates — both relegated from Grade-I.
This three-day President’s Trophy Grade-II is scheduled to run from March to May 2026. The winner will gain entry into the following season’s Grade-I first-class and List A tournaments. The PCB also plans to introduce a 50-over competition for Grade-II sides from next year.
Top-tier competitions
The Grade-I domestic campaign will begin with the 50-over President’s Cup in November and December, after the conclusion of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. The List A event will comprise 31 matches.
Participating Grade-I departments include 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.
Following the one-day tournament, the same eight teams will take part in the first-class President’s Trophy, featuring 29 matches and concluding in January 2026. The two lowest-ranked teams will be relegated, making way for the Grade-II finalists next season.
Women’s teams
In a parallel initiative, the PCB expects several departments to assemble women’s teams, as part of broader efforts to enhance the women’s domestic structure. Further details are expected to be shared in due course.
Director of Domestic Cricket Operations, Abdullah Khurram Niazi, highlighted the importance of departmental cricket and expressed confidence in its impact:
“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.”