The National Cricket Champions Cup is set to begin in Multan on Tuesday, with the tournament trophy unveiled ahead of the competition. Captains of all four participating teams attended the trophy unveiling ceremony. Faheem Ashraf will lead Pakistan Gold, replacing Shadab Khan as captain for the tournament.
Pakistan Gold captain Shaheen Shah Afridi said the National Champions Cup would help selectors identify and build a strong squad for the upcoming World Cup. Pakistan Blues captain Sahibzada Farhan described the Champions Cup as an important tournament for him and his career.
Pakistan Whites captain Saim Ayub said professional players should be capable of performing in all kinds of playing conditions. Faheem Ashraf said players would have to adapt to the hot and challenging weather conditions in Multan. The opening match of the tournament will be played between Pakistan Whites and Pakistan Greens at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
Teams and officials arrived in Multan on 8 August and participated in day and night practice sessions at the Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Centre and Multan Cricket Stadium. Former Test cricketer Ijaz Ahmed Jnr is serving as head coach of Shadab Khan’s Pakistan Greens, while former Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq is leading Shaheen Shah Afridi’s Pakistan Gold. The other head coaches are Iqbal Imam, who is in charge of Pakistan Whites, captained by Saim Ayub, and Aizaz Cheema, who heads Pakistan Blues, led by Sahibzada Farhan.
Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, who will also observe the matches during the tournament, met with the coaching staff of all four teams on Sunday. He briefed them on Pakistan’s preparation plans for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027.
A prize pool of PKR 8.15 million has been allocated for the opening tournament of the 2026-27 domestic cricket season. The winners will receive PKR 5 million, while the runners-up will take home PKR 2.5 million. The Player of the Tournament, Best Batter, Best Bowler and Best Wicketkeeper will each receive PKR 100,000. The four captains attended the trophy unveiling and the pre-series press conference on Monday. Faheem Ashraf represented Shadab Khan during the media activities and trophy unveiling.