National Champions Cup set to begin on August 11 as PCB announces squads

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the schedule and squads for the four teams participating in the National Champions Cup. The one-day tournament will mark the beginning of preparations for the 2026–27 domestic season and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

The tournament will be held at the Multan Cricket Stadium from 11 to 18 August, featuring a total of seven One-Day International (ODI)-format matches, including the final. All day-night matches will begin at 3:00 pm.

The National Selection Committee has named 11-player squads for each of the four teams, along with 13 reserve players. Reserve players may be added to a squad in the event of an injury or concussion. The participating teams are Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Gold, Pakistan Whites, and Pakistan Blues.

Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saim Ayub, and Sahibzada Farhan have been appointed as captains of their respective teams. The head coaches are Ijaz Ahmed Junior, Misbah-ul-Haq, Iqbal Imam, and Aizaz Cheema.

Shaheen Shah Afridi’s team includes Abdul Samad, Haider Ali, Moaz Sadaqat, and Mohammad Nawaz. Sahibzada Farhan’s squad features Arafat Minhas, Hasan Ali, Shamil Hussain, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Hussain Talat. Saim Ayub will lead a side that includes Ali Raza, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Wasim Junior, and Usman Khan. Shadab Khan’s team features Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hasnain, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, and Sameer Minhas.

PCB Director Aaqib Javed said the primary objective of the tournament is to provide players with more opportunities to play 50-over cricket, helping them prepare for the upcoming domestic season and major international events, particularly the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He added that the competition will also allow players to develop their skills while performing the specific roles expected of them in ODI cricket.

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