Pakistan’s premier domestic first-class competition, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, is all set to return as the 2025-26 edition kicks off on Monday, 6 October, across four cities — Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi.
The 10-team event will feature a single-league round-robin format, with nine rounds scheduled between 6 October and 26 November, followed by the five-day final from 29 November to 3 December. A total of 46 matches will be staged, offering a significant platform for regional teams and players to showcase their red-ball skills.
The venues chosen for this season include Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Shoaib Akhtar Stadium in Rawalpindi, Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar, and Islamabad’s Diamond and Marghzar Cricket Grounds. All but Peshawar also hosted matches in the previous edition. The venue for the final will be confirmed later.
This year’s competition sees defending champions Sialkot Region return to action alongside Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, FATA, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan, and Peshawar. Four teams — FATA, Faisalabad, Karachi Blues, and Multan — secured their spots in the Trophy after excelling in the recently concluded Hanif Mohammad Trophy.
The tournament begins with a high-profile clash at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar, where defending champions Sialkot will take on Peshawar in a rematch of last year’s nerve-wracking final that Sialkot clinched by just one wicket at Karachi’s UBL Sports Complex.
First Round Fixtures (6-9 October)
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Abbottabad Region vs Bahawalpur Region at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium
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Lahore Whites vs Islamabad Region at Shoaib Akhtar Stadium, Rawalpindi
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Peshawar Region vs Sialkot Region at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar
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FATA Region vs Multan Region at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad
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Faisalabad Region vs Karachi Blues at Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad
The competition will then move forward with consecutive rounds, including marquee fixtures such as Sialkot vs Lahore Whites (18-21 October, Diamond Cricket Ground), Karachi Blues vs Bahawalpur (30 October–2 November, Peshawar), and the traditional tussle between Peshawar and Lahore Whites (11-14 November, Islamabad).
The final league round will take place from 23-26 November, before the two best-performing sides meet in the grand finale.
By extending the reach of top-tier cricket to Abbottabad and Peshawar once again, the PCB claims its aim of bringing the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy closer to fans in regions that have long been producing talent for Pakistan cricket. With defending champions Sialkot aiming to retain their crown and several newly qualified teams eager to make their mark, the 2025-26 edition promises to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.
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