The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the President’s Cup, an eight-team List-A tournament for departmental sides, just two days before it was scheduled to begin.

The tournament, which was due to start this week, will now be held in December 2026.

According to reports, the decision came after a request from the national selection committee and Pakistan’s white-ball team management. They believed players needed adequate rest following the conclusion of the National Champions Cup on Tuesday.

The request was also made with Pakistan’s international home season approaching.

The National Champions Cup was held after national players completed a nearly two-month-long white-ball training camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore.

Following the postponement of the President’s Cup, the next tournament on Pakistan’s men’s domestic calendar for the 2026-27 season will be the President’s Trophy. It is scheduled to take place from September 12 to October 19.

The first-class and non-first-class editions of the President’s Trophy will be played simultaneously.

The President’s Trophy will be followed by the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which is scheduled to run from November 1 to December 17.

Pakistan’s premier first-class competition has again been restructured for the upcoming season. It will feature 20 teams from all 16 regions, divided into Gold and Silver divisions.

Last season, the regional first-class tournament featured 10 teams.

The President’s Cup is contested by the same eight departments that will compete in the first-class edition of the President’s Trophy. Over the past two seasons, it has served as the standalone List-A competition in Pakistan’s men’s domestic calendar.

The PCB abolished the Pakistan Cup after the 2023-24 season, leaving the President’s Cup as the country’s primary domestic 50-over competition.

However, the postponement means the President’s Cup will now become the second List-A tournament of the 2026-27 season.

The PCB had already started the domestic season last week with a specially designed four-team 50-over tournament in Multan.

The four-team competition was organized with next year’s 50-over World Cup in mind. It was aimed at assessing the depth of Pakistan’s List-A talent ahead of the global tournament.

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