Seven-Match Tournament to Open Domestic Season
The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the squads and schedule for the National Champions Cup 2026.
The 50-over tournament will be played at Multan Cricket Stadium from August 11 to August 18.
It will officially begin Pakistan’s 2026-27 domestic cricket season.
Seven List A matches will be contested during the eight-day competition.
All fixtures will be played as day-night matches and will begin at 3pm local time.
Four teams will participate in the tournament. They are Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, Pakistan Blues and Pakistan Gold.
Each team will face the other three sides once during the single round-robin stage.
The two leading teams in the standings will qualify for the final on August 18.
The PCB said the competition would support Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
Selectors will use the event to assess established players and emerging domestic talent in 50-over conditions.
Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan Among Four Captains
Four prominent players have been selected to lead the participating teams.
Shadab Khan will captain Pakistan Greens, while Saim Ayub will lead Pakistan Whites.
Sahibzada Farhan has been appointed captain of Pakistan Blues.
Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead Pakistan Gold.
The national selection committee has announced a fixed playing eleven for each team.
Teams will be required to use their selected lineups throughout the tournament.
Players from the reserve pool can only replace someone who suffers an injury or concussion.
The reserve players will remain with the teams during training sessions and match days.
Pakistan Greens include Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Farhan Yousuf and Mehran Mumtaz.
The team also features Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saad Baig and Sameer Minhas.
Ijaz Ahmed Junior will serve as head coach of Pakistan Greens.
Rehan Riaz, Khurram Shahzad and Fahad Iqbal will complete the coaching staff.
Pakistan Whites will be led by Saim Ayub.
The team includes Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah.
Mohsin Riaz, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Saad Masood, Shahzaib Khan and wicketkeeper Usman Khan are also included.
Iqbal Imam has been appointed head coach.
Samiullah Niazi, Faisal Athar and Saqib Faqir will work as specialist coaches.
Pakistan Blues will feature captain Sahibzada Farhan alongside Abdullah Shafique and Ahmed Daniyal.
Arafat Minhas, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Jahandad Khan and Rohail Nazir are also part of the team.
Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim and wicketkeeper Taimur Khan complete the playing eleven.
Former Pakistan pacer Aizaz Cheema will serve as head coach.
Pakistan Gold will be captained by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The team includes Abdul Samad, Abdul Subhan, Faisal Akram, Haider Ali and Kamran Ghulam.
Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Nawaz, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Imran and Saad Khan are also selected.
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been appointed head coach of Pakistan Gold.
Waqas Ahmed, Riffatullah Mohmand and Atiq-ur-Rehman will support him.
Pakistan Greens and Whites to Play Opening Match
Pakistan Greens will face Pakistan Whites in the tournament opener on August 11.
Pakistan Blues will meet Pakistan Gold on August 12.
Pakistan Blues and Pakistan Whites will compete on August 13.
Pakistan Gold will face Pakistan Greens on August 14.
The league stage will continue with Pakistan Blues against Pakistan Greens on August 15.
Pakistan Gold will meet Pakistan Whites in the final league match on August 16.
The top two teams will contest the championship final on August 18.
The selection committee has also announced a 13-player reserve pool.
The reserve batters are Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Faiq and Muhammad Irfan Khan.
Mubasir Khan and Danish Aziz have been selected as reserve all-rounders.
The reserve fast bowlers are Arshad Iqbal, Muhammad Salman, Razaullah and Saqib Khan.
Mohammad Amir Khan and Shahnawaz Dahani are also included in the pace-bowling group.
Haseebullah has been named as the reserve wicketkeeper.
The competition will give national selectors an opportunity to monitor players under high-pressure one-day conditions.
It will also provide several emerging cricketers with a platform to compete alongside experienced international players.
