PCB announces President’s Trophy Grade-I schedule

Pakistan’s President’s Trophy Grade-I first-class tournament will begin on September 12, with eight departmental teams competing in a 28-match round-robin competition before the top two meet in a five-day final.

The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed the schedule and squads on Wednesday, with the tournament running until October 28.

The eight teams are Ghani Glass, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Kingsmen Academy, Markhor Information Technology Solutions (MIT), Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan Television (PTV), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).

Each team will play seven four-day matches, with the top two advancing to the final, scheduled for October 24-28 at a venue yet to be confirmed.

MIT Solutions, winners of the President’s Trophy Grade-II, and runners-up Kingsmen Academy will make their first-class debuts in the competition.

The opening round will see Ghani Glass face KRL at Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar, MIT Solutions take on Kingsmen Academy in Abbottabad, PTV meet OGDCL at Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad and SBP play SNGPL at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.

Matches will be played across the four venues during seven rounds, with the final the only five-day fixture.

Several leading Pakistan players have been included in the departmental squads.

Ghani Glass will be led by left-arm spinner Noman Ali, while all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed will captain KRL, with Fakhar Zaman as vice-captain and Shaheen Shah Afridi also in the squad.

Kingsmen Academy have named Tayyab Arif as captain, with Salman Ali Agha as his deputy. The squad also includes Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Huraira, Saim Ayub, Mir Hamza and Hunain Shah.

OGDCL will be led by Imam-ul-Haq and include Rohail Nazir, while PTV have named Shamyl Hussain as captain and include Haris Rauf and Arafat Minhas.

SBP will be captained by Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and feature Kamran Ghulam, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas and Abid Ali.

SNGPL will be led by Shan Masood, with Mohammad Rizwan as vice-captain. Abdullah Shafique, Sajid Khan and Shahnawaz Dahani are also included.

The PCB said the three-day, non-first-class President’s Trophy Grade-II Gold and Silver tournaments are expected to begin in the third week of September, with details to be announced later.