Sports Bulletin

Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD: The 10-team Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is all set to begin in four cities - Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar and Rawalpindi from Monday, 6 October as the domestic cricket season 2025-26 gets into full swing, the PCB announced today.The four-day first-class tournament will be played on single-league round-robin format as a total of nine rounds have been penciled in from 6 October to 26 November, while the five-day final between the two top teams will take place from 29 November to 3 December.The venues for the 46-match QeA Trophy are Abbottabad Cricket Stadium in Abbottabad, Shoaib Akhtar Stadium in Rawalpindi, Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar and Diamond and Marghzar Cricket Grounds in Islamabad. The venue for the final will be announced later.Four of these venues except Peshawar also played host to the previous edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy as well.The participating teams are Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, FATA, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan, Peshawar and Sialkot.FATA, Faisalabad, Karachi Blues and Multan have qualified for the QeA Trophy after finishing with the most number of points in the recently concluded Hanif Mohammad Trophy.In the first round, Sialkot – the defending champions of the tournament – will face Peshawar at the Imran Khan Stadium in a re-match of the previous edition’s final, which the former won by one wicket in a nerve-wrecking contest at the UBL Sports Complex in Karachi.The squads of each of the 10 teams will be announced in due course.First round fixtures (October 6 to 9): Abbottabad v Bahawalpur at Abbottabad Cricket StadiumLahore Whites v Islamabad at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, RawalpindiPeshawar v Sialkot at Imran Khan Stadium, PeshawarFATA v Multan at Diamond Cricket Ground, IslamabadFaisalabad v Karachi Blues at Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Peshawar (SBR): Four more matches have been decided in the National Men’s Under-19 One-Day Cup. FATA Region defeated Islamabad Region by 223 runs at Mir wais Ground, Shah Alam to secure their fourth victory. Batting first, FATA Region scored 308 runs for the loss of seven wickets. In-form batsman Usman Khan scored his second consecutive century of the tournament. He played a brilliant and captivating innings of 151 runs. The innings of 140 balls included eleven fours and six sixes. Apart from him, Mohammad Abbas Afridi scored 37 runs. Taimur Ali scored 23, Mohammad Tahir scored 22 and Jiyad scored 18. Mohammad Nayyar took three wickets.In reply, Islamabad were all out for 85 runs. Owais Ahmed was the top scorer with 23 runs. Naveed Khan captured three wickets while Taimur, Jamshedullah and Mohammad Tahir each took two wickets apiece. Usman Khan was declared the man of the match. The match was supervised by Alae Haider and Abdul Karim Nesvi. The match referee was Ghulam Mustafa and the scorer was Noor Mohammad. At the Hayatabad Stadium, Dera Murad Jamali unexpectedly defeated Hyderabad Region by two wickets and achieved its first victory. Hyderabad team was bowled out for 167 runs. Ibad Ali scored 43 and Abdul Ahad scored 29 runs. Farhanullah took four wickets for Dera Murad Jamali, giving away 32 runs. Muzammil Ali took three wickets and Qudratullah took two wickets. In reply, Ishratul Ibad’s brilliant innings Thanks to the century, Dera Murad Jamali achieved the target in the last over for the loss of 8 wickets. Ishratul Ibad remained unbeaten on 113 runs, which included twelve fours and two sixes. Ali Waris dismissed two players for Hyderabad. Majid Hussain and Aqeel Adil umpired in the match, while Nadeem Akhtar was the official scorer of the match. Bahawalpur defeated Karachi by seven wickets in the match played at Shamma Ground. Batting first, Karachi's team was bowled out for 198 runs. Sajjad Ahmed scored 62 and Huzaifa scored 38 runs. Hammad Alam scored 24 and Asad Umar scored 21 runs. Mohammad Huzaifa and Mohammad Makki took two wickets. In reply, Bahawalpur achieved this target for the loss of three wickets. Waleed Iqbal scored 69 and Sameer Akhtar scored 63 runs. Rawalpindi defeated Azad Jammu and Kashmir by 135 runs. Rawalpindi batted first and the entire team was bowled out for 233 runs. Abdul Qadir played an aggressive innings of 121 runs and saved his team from complete destruction. His innings included ten fours and eight sixes. Arsh Zaman, Zain Jamil and Bilal Waheed took three wickets each. In reply, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir team was bowled out for 98 runs. Bilal Waheed scored fifty and Uzair Naveed scored 18 runs. Mohammad Hussain and Syed Ali Mehdi took two wic

 Lahore (SBR): In a groundbreaking move, the Pakistan Cricket Board has introduced first-ever Scorer contracts, which run from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, it was confirmed on Saturday.Before this development the scorers only received remuneration in the form of match fees but the announcement of the monthly retainers will strengthen them financially as they aim to serve Pakistan Cricket with more dedication.A total of 20 scorers from 16 regions have been granted the contracts for the 2025-26 season.Aamir Sharif (Abbottabad), Aamer Manzoor Faridi (Multan), Adnan Farooq (Islamabad), Arif Abdul Majeed (Hyderabad), Azhar Hussain (Lahore), Faiz Muhammad Baloch (Dera Murad Jamali), Farrukh Ilyas Raja (Sialkot), Hafeez-ur-Rehman (Bahawalpur), Junaid Shah (Kohat), Muhammad Ammad (Quetta), Muhammad Aslam Sahto (Larkana), Muhammad Atiq (Sahiwal), Muhammad Zeeshan (Rawalpindi), Nadeem Akhtar (Peshawar), Najmus Saeed (Lahore), Nasir Khan (Sargodha), Salman Hussain Kazmi (Karachi), Shakeel Ahmed (Rawalpindi), Syed Imran Ali (Karachi), Tahir Suhaib (Faisalabad)Director Domestic Cricket Operations PCB, Abdullah Khurram Niazi said:“The PCB is delighted to offer first-ever annual contracts to 20 of our esteemed scorers across the country. I’m confident this move will contribute towards the strengthening of our domestic cricket ecosystem as we look to safeguard all those who contribute towards its well-being and conduct.“It is also a testament of the PCB’s vision to recognise all the cogs of the wheel in Pakistan’s Cricket fraternity and help them grow and give back to our sport with more enthusiasm and dedication than before.”

Peshawar (SBR): Four more matches have been decided in the third round of the National Men’s Under-19 One-Day Cup. Fata defeated Hyderabad by 7 wickets to claim their third consecutive victory.At the Ashfaq Ground, Charsadda, Hyderabad batted first and the entire team was dismissed for 151 runs. Abdul Wahab scored 29, Yahya Shah scored 28 and Abdul Ahad scored 24 runs. Jamshed ullah and Naveed Khan took three wickets each. Taimur Ali, Mohammad Tahir, Usman Khan and Abdul Basit grabbed one wicket each.In reply, FATA Region achieved the target for the loss of three wickets. Usman Khan, who represented Pakistan U-19, maintained his form and scored a magnificent unbeaten century as he hit 10 fours and 5 sixes. Usman Khan was dismissed for 96 runs in the previous match. Haris Shah was not out on 31 runs. Mohammad Salman captured 2 wickets for Hyderabad . The match was supervised by Majid Hussain and Dilshad Ali.In the 2nd match played at Hayatabad stadium peshawar, Lahore White batted first and scored 303 runs for the loss of five wickets. Opener Alian Salman scored 136 runs and remained unbeaten. His innings included thirteen fours. The other opener Hamza Zahoor scored 54 runs. Mohammad Farhan scored 48 runs. Islamabad's Zeeshan, Mujahid Ali, Owais and Faisal Afridi dismissed one player each.In reply, the Islamabad Region team could score 125 runs. Fahad Saleem scored 26, Munib scored 19 and Ajmer scored 15 runs. Hussain Abbas and Mohammad Ayyas took three wickets each. Lahore White's Hamza Zahoor took six catches behind the stump. Man of the match was Aalian Salman. Aale Haider and Abdul Karim were the umpires and Nadeem Akhtar was the scorer. Fazal Akbar Shah was the match referee.In the third match, Peshawar batted first and scored 213 runs. Ahmed Hussain scored 56, Mohammad Zubair scored 49 and Zainullah scored 48 runs. Mohammad Musa took four wickets. In reply, Sialkot was bowled out for 154 runs. Hayam Khan scored 55 runs. Haroon Khan took three wickets while Muhammad Siam, Mohammad Owais and Ahmed Hussain took two wickets each. Ahmed Hussain was declared the man of the match for his all-round performance.In the 4th match Lahore Blues defeated Abbottabad by 61 runs at the Rana Naveed Cricket Academy in Sheikhupura. Ali Hassan Baloch scored a brilliant 143 runs to help his team score 284 runs for the loss of six wickets in 50 overs. Ali Hassan Baloch's 143 runs were hit by 13 fours and 7 sixes. In reply, Abbottabad's team was bowled out for 223 runs in 44.2 overs despite Mohammad Shayan's 53 runs. Jahangir Bilal took five wickets for 26 runs.

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Pakistan Shaheens will undergo a five-day camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore from Sunday, 3 August, ahead of their departure to Australia on 8 August to participate in the Top End T20 Series.The 11-team T20 tournament will be played in Darwin from 14 to 24 August, with the Shaheens set to open their campaign against Bangladesh ‘A’ at the TIO Stadium. The first ball will be bowled at 7pm local time.Shaheens’ players will assemble in Lahore on Saturday evening and will take part in fielding and net sessions on 3 and 4 August. They will then feature in scenario-based matches at the Gaddafi Stadium on 5 and 6 August. On the final day of the camp, Thursday, 7 August, training session will be held at the National Cricket Academy.Among the 15 players, Faisal Akram, Haider Ali, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubasir Khan, Shahid Aziz, and Ubaid Shah are currently touring England with Pakistan Shaheens and will return to Lahore following the conclusion of the tour to join the T20 squad on 7 August.15-member squad: Mohammad Irfan Khan (captain), Abdul Samad, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haider Ali, Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Mubasir Khan, Saad Masood, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Shahid Aziz, Ubaid Shah and Yasir KhanTeam management: Ghulam Ali (head coach), Sami Ullah Niazi (bowling coach), Mansoor Amjad (fielding coach), Mohammad Ibrahim (analyst) and Mohammad Aleem (physio)Pakistan Shaheens fixtures:14 Aug – vs Bangladesh ‘A’, TIO Stadium (7pm local time)16 Aug – vs Scorchers, TIO Stadium (4pm local time)18 Aug – vs Renegades, TIO Stadium (6pm local time)19 Aug – vs Kingsmen, DXC Arena (1pm local time)20 Aug – vs Strikers, DXC Arena (7pm local time)22 Aug – vs Nepal, DXC Arena (7pm local time)24 Aug – Semi-finals and final

Karachi(PR): The two-day talent hunt trials, jointly organised by Lahore Qalandars and the Prime Minister's Youth Program, concluded successfully in Karachi, with the announcement of 15-member boys and girls teams.The trials took place at NED University, where thousands of aspiring cricketers participated with hopes of joining the Qalandars system. Following the trials, coaches Marina Iqbal and Riaz Afridi, along with Lahore Qalandars CEO Atif Rana, announced the selected players in a press conference.About the trials PMYP-Lahore Qalandars trials in Karachi, Atif Rana said that the massive turnout reflects the trust of youth in Lahore Qalandars. “Our player development journey began 10 years ago, and many of today's top players emerged from this very program,” he said. “Prime Minister's endorsement of our work empowered us to take this initiative nationwide.”He added that nearly 15,000 male and female players came forward in Karachi, showing their faith in the Qalandars system. “From here, we will move to Hyderabad and eventually form five teams from Sindh,” he added.Lahore Qalandars CEO further elaborated that under the program, five teams each will be formed from every province, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. These teams will participate in regional tournaments, from which the best players will qualify for the national tournament. The top national performers will be trained at the Lahore Qalandars High-Performance Center.Coaches Marina Iqbal and Riaz Afridi praised the raw talent and enthusiasm shown by players during the Karachi trials. They appreciated the PMYP-Lahore Qalandars talent hunt cricket trails initiative at such a huge level, which was widely participated by cricket enthusiasts across Karachi and the best talent earned their placed in the 15-member boys and girls teams. The selected girls team (Karachi) includes Yesri Aamir, Alizeh Sabir, Arija Haseeb, Aamna Zahid, Taskeen Fatima, Kainat Iman, Aneza Arif, Syeda Batool Fatima, Shabnam Hayat, Masooma Jafri, Ubeera Riaz, Faiqa Tariq, Arij Aamir, Maryam Ahmed, Isha Naeem.The selected boys team (Karachi) comprises Arman Shehzad, Abdullah Javed, Mohammad Siddiq, Umar Farooq, Zain Anwar, Hamza Malik, Ali Shoaib, M. Shaheer, Mohammad Furman, Naveedullah, Syed Zain, Abdul Rauf, Muaz Shah Afridi, Abdul Jaleel, Syed Rehan Shah.

Lahore (PR): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the domestic cricket calendar for the 2025-26 season, with an emphasis on increased competitiveness, highlighted by an eight-team Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class) tournament.The domestic season will commence on 15 August with the 12-team Hanif Mohammad Trophy (non-first-class) being staged in Karachi, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan. The teams are divided into two pools, with 31 matches scheduled in the four-day tournament. The top two sides will qualify for this season’s premier first-class competition – Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.The 12 regional sides participating in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy are the same teams that competed in last season’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Based on last season’s standings, these are: Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, FATA, Lahore Region Blues, Hyderabad, Karachi Region Blues, Karachi Region Whites, Multan, Quetta, D.M Jamali, AJK and Larkana.The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will feature Lahore Region Whites, Sialkot, Peshawar, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur and the two qualifying teams. The tournament is set to begin on 22 September and will comprise 29 matches in a single-league format, with the final scheduled from 3 to 7 November. Matches will be held at four venues across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with further details to be announced in due course.To further enhance competitiveness, a qualifying stage has also been introduced for the National T20. 10 teams – Abbottabad, Multan, Quetta, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, FATA, Larkana, D.M. Jamali, and AJK will compete in the qualifier round. These teams will be divided into two pools, with the top two sides progressing to the National T20 (Super 10) tournament, which will be held in Faisalabad from 1 to 12 March.The eight teams automatically qualified for the Super 10 stage are: Karachi Region Whites, Lahore Region Whites, Peshawar, Karachi Region Blues, Sialkot, Islamabad and Faisalabad.Four departmental tournaments – President’s Trophy (four-day, first-class), President’s Cup (One-Day), President’s Trophy Grade II and President’s Trophy Grade III will also feature in this domestic season.PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmed Syed said: “We are pleased to unveil a domestic structure that places merit, opportunity and competitiveness at its core. The 2025-26 season has been designed to provide a clear pathway for teams and players to progress based on performance, not reputation.“Introducing a qualifier for both the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the National T20 ensures that every match in our domestic calendar carries significant weight. This not only raises the standard of competition but also fosters a high-performance culture across all formats.“The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will now feature the most in-form and deserving teams, while the Hanif Mohammad Trophy gives 12 regions a meaningful chance to stake their claim. Similarly, the Super 10 format of the National T20 is a step towards creating more high-intensity, quality cricket.“Our aim is to reward performance and create a vibrant environment where players and teams are constantly challenged. This structure lays the foundation for a long-term growth and helps us prepare future stars for the demands of international cricket.”Director – Domestic Cricket Operations Abdullah Khurram Niazi said: “The 2025-26 domestic season reflects our commitment to building a competitive and inclusive structure that nurtures talent at every level, from grassroots to senior cricket. By aligning our tournaments across age-group and senior formats, we are creating a clear development pathway for young cricketers.“We have placed equal emphasis on both regional and departmental cricket. The inclusion of a first-class and a one-day tournament exclusively for departments, along with Grade II and Grade III departmental competitions, ensures departments remain a vital pillar of our domestic cricket system.“We are looking forward to U15, U17 and U19 age-group tournaments this season. These competitions will serve as vital stepping stones for young talent, helping us identify and groom future national stars early in their careers.“Also, the top performers of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy will not only be recognised as guest players by the top regions in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, but they will also be considered for domestic contracts, a move aimed at incentivising excellence.”Hanif Mohammad Trophy (non-first-class): 15 Aug to 17 Sep (12 teams, 31 matches, four-day)National U19 Cup: 1-16 Sep (18 teams, 49 matches, one-day, nine venues)Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (first-class): 22 Sep to 7 Nov (eight teams, 29 matches, four-day, four venues)President’s Cup (One-Day) (Departmental tournament): 24 Nov to 10 Dec (eight teams, 31 matches, four venues)President’s Trophy (first-class) (Departmental tournament): 15 Dec to 30 Jan 2026 (eight teams, 29 matches, four venues)National T20 (Qualifier): 3-11 Feb 2026 (12 teams, 30 matches, six venues)National T20 (Super 10): 1-12 Mar 2026 (10 teams, 23 matches, one venue)National U17 Cup (One-Day): 28 Mar to 12 Apr 2026 (18 teams, 49 matches, nine venues)National U15 Cup (One-Day): 16 Apr to 1 May 2026 (18 teams, 49 matches, nine venues)President’s Trophy Grade II (Three-Day) (Departmental tournament): 28 Mar to 3 May 2026 (14 teams, 46 matches, six venues)President’s Trophy Grade III (Two-Day) (Departmental tournament): 28 Mar to 23 Apr 2026 (14 teams, 46 matches, six venues)Regional Inter-District U19: 28 Mar to 10 April 2026 (110 matches)Challenge League (Two-Day): 1 Oct to 10 Nov 2025Regional Inter-District Senior: 10 May to 10 Jun 2026Club Cricket Tournament: Nov 2025 to Jun 2026School Cricket: Sep-Oct 2025College Cricket: Oct-Nov 2025University Cricket: Nov-Dec 2025

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The President’s Trophy Grade-II 2024-25 is set to begin on Tuesday, 15 April across eight cities including Abbottabad, Haripur, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura and Swabi. The 85-match tournament comprises of three-day matches except the final, which will be a four-day affair scheduled to take place from 22-25 May. Over 400 players across Pakistan will get the opportunity to showcase their skills in this red-ball tournament. The winner of the tournament will be awarded PKR 5 million, while the runner-up team will collect PKR 2.5 million out of a total prize pot of PKR 7.75 million. The triumphant team will also qualify for the President’s Trophy Grade-I in the next domestic season replacing Eshaal Associates. A total of 27 Departmental teams are taking part in the tournament, which are divided into four groups. Top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-final stage set to take place from 14-16 May, while the semi-finals are slotted from 18-20 May. Group A (Karachi): Kingsmen, Navy, Pak Saudi International, Pakistan Customs, Port Qasim and Wing 999 SportsGroup B (Islamabad and Rawalpindi): Army, Capital Development Authority (CDA), Ghani Institute, JDW Sugar Mills, JJ’s Consultancy Group, ONETEN Communication and PHA Rawalpindi.Group C (Abbottabad, Swabi and Haripur): Haider Cricket Club, Mit Solutions, PAF, Sardar Group, Service Industries, SNSJ Marketing, Vital TeaGroup D (Sheikhupura and Lahore): Ahmed Glass, Azlaan Traders, Income Tax, Kingsmen Academy, Railways, Sahir Associates and Sabir’s Poultry.

Faisalabad (PCB Report): Hussain Talat-led Lahore Region Blues comprehensively beat Peshawar Region by a nine-wicket margin in the final of the Bank Alfalah Presents Inverex Solar Energy National T20 Cup 2024-25 here at the Iqbal Stadium on Thursday night.Lahore Blues pocketed winners prize of PKR five millions out of the 9.4 million PKR prize pot, while the runners up Peshawar got PKR 2.5 million.Chasing a meagre 111-run target, Lahore Blues got over the line with 24 balls in the bag as opening batter Umar Siddiq remained unbeaten for 64 not out off 46 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.Umar stitched a 45-run opening stand with Imran Butt and followed it up by an unbeaten 66-run partnership with Junaid Ali (30, 30b, 3x4s) to take his team home.Earlier, Peshawar were kept in check by the Lahore Blues bowlers as only three of their batters entered double figures leading to a modest 110-9 total in the allotted 20 overs. Iftikhar Ahmed (34, 33b, 2x4s) and No.5 batter Mohammad Zulkifal (32, 29b, 4x4s, 1x6) were the main contributors for Peshawar.Player of the match Mohammad Salman Mirza bagged four wickets for 21 runs in his four overs, while left-arm spinner returned figures of 4-0-20-2. Qasim Akram, Nisar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan dismissed one batter each.Scores in brief:Final – Lahore Region Blues beat Peshawar Region by nine wickets at Iqbal Stadium, FaisalabadPeshawar 110-9, 20 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 34, Mohammad Zulkifal 32; Mohammad Salman Mirza 4-21, Mohammad Irfan 2-20)Lahore Blues 111-1, 16 overs (Umar Siddiq 64 not out, Junaid Ali 30 not out; Usman Tariq 1-20)Player of the match – Mohammad Salman Mirza (Lahore Region Blues)Player of the tournament and best batter of the tournament – Sahibzada Farhan (Peshawar Region - 605 runs in seven matches)Best bowler of the tournament – Hasan Ali (Sialkot Region – 13 wickets in four matches)Best wicketkeeper of the tournament – Mohammad Akhlaq (Lahore Region Whites – Six dismissals & 114 runs) 

Sports Bulletin ReportFAISALABAD: The National T20 Cup will begin from Friday (March 14) at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad with defending champions Karachi Region Whites taking on Islamabad Region. On the same day, Bahawalpur Region will take on Dera Murad Jamali Region at the same venue.18 teams from 16 regions will feature in the tournament, with participating teams divided into four groups. The matches will also be played at Lahore’s two venues – Gaddafi Stadium and LCCA and Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan.The top two sides from each group will qualify for the quarter-final stage, which will be played at the Iqbal Stadium on 23 and 24 March, with the semi-finals set to take place at the same venue on 26 March.The final of the tournament will be played at the Iqbal Stadium on 27 March, with the winning team bagging a prize money of PKR five million, while the runners-up will have to settle with PKR 2.5 million. The double-header matches in Faisalabad will begin at 7pm PKT, while the matches in Lahore and Multan will start at 4.30pm PKT.