Pakistan fast bowler Salman Mirza has expressed his desire to play in the upcoming President’s Trophy Grade-I after missing the initial team selection because of a thumb injury.
Mirza confirmed that he was without a team because of the thumb fracture and the timing of his recovery. He added that if any team requires a fast bowler at a later stage of the season, he is available and willing to join. Mirza has represented Pakistan in 17 T20 internationals.
Mirza suffered a fractured thumb while playing in the National Champions Cup last month. The injury prevented him from being considered when teams were initially selecting their squads for the President’s Trophy.
Several departmental teams had already completed their squads, by the time he recovered. Mirza then approached a number of departments to secure a place, but none had an available position for him.
When will President’s trophy begin?
The President’s Trophy Grade-I will begin on September 12 and will mark the start of Pakistan’s 2026-27 domestic cricket season. The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that eight departmental teams will participate.
- 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)
- Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL)
A total of 28 four-day matches will be played during the single league round-robin stage. Each team will play seven matches, with the top two teams qualifying for the final.
The tournament will run until October 28, when the final is scheduled to conclude. MIT Solutions and Kingsmen Academy will also make their first-class debuts after earning promotion from the President’s Trophy Grade-II.
The tournament could provide an opportunity to return to competitive red-ball cricket for Salman Mirza, if any team requires his services during the season.