The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the new domestic structure and schedule of the first-class and grade-II tournaments.
As the 2014 constitution was restored, the domestic season will have tournaments separately for regions and departments.
The upcoming men’s season will commence on 10 September with the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy pitting top eight regional teams against each other, following which, top eight departments will feature in the President’s Trophy, starting December 15. The two tournaments will be played on single-league basis and the table toppers will play the final.
The 18 regional sides have been slotted with eight teams playing the premier first-class tournament Quaid-e-Azam Trophy while 10 regions will be playing Hanif Mohammad Trophy, a non first-class four-day tournament.
Teams have been listed according to their standings in the 2018-19 season.
The domestic structure is framed by the PCB Cricket Technical Committee headed by former captain Misbah ul Haq and Mohammad Hafeez.
Schedule
• Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: 10th September to 26th October
• Hanif Mohammad Trophy: 10th September to 13th October
• President's Trophy: from December 15
Teams
• Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: Peshawar, Karachi Whites, Lahore Blues, Rawalpindi, FATA, Multan, Lahore Whites and Faisalabad
• Hanif Mohammad Trophy: Abbottabad, Azad Jammu and Kashir, Bahawalpur, Dera Murad Jamali, Hyderabad, Karachi Blues, Larkana, Quetta, Sialkot and Islamabad
• President's Trophy: SNGPL, SSGC, WAPDA, KRL, PTV, NBP, State Bank, 8th team to be announced in due course
Venues
• Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: Abbottabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi
• Hanif Mohammad Trophy: Faisalabad, Islamabad and Multan
• President's Trophy: Karachi
In January and February of 2024, Patron’s Trophy grade-II with three-day games and grade-III (two-day games) will run concurrently all over the country.
Teams winning the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, Patron’s Trophy grade-II and grade-III will earn promotions. The teams who finish at the bottom of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, President’s Trophy and Patron’s Trophy grade-II will be relegated to the lower rung.
Every regional team must have one player under the age of 21 in playing XI and at least two in the 30-player squad. These players must have come through PCB’s age-group programme.