LAHORE – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled squads and schedule for the 69th edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, setting the stage for an exciting domestic cricket season featuring some of Pakistan’s biggest international stars.
The country’s premier first-class cricket tournament will begin on Tuesday, November 3, with 20 regional teams competing across two divisions, Gold and Silver, in a total of 60 matches.
The opening round promises a blockbuster contest as Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam returns to domestic red-ball cricket for Lahore Whites, while national ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi leads FATA against the Lahore side at Islamabad’s Diamond Cricket Ground.
The competition will feature established international players alongside emerging domestic talent, giving youngsters an opportunity to compete against some of the country’s most experienced cricketers.
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2026-27 Squads
1. Lahore Whites
Captain: Aamer Jamal
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Aamer Jamal (Captain) |
| 2 | Babar Azam |
| 3 | Ali Zaryab |
| 4 | Ahmed Daniyal |
| 5 | Kamran Afzal |
| 6 | Mohib Bhatti |
| 7 | Muhammad Faiq |
| 8 | Tayyab Tahir |
| 9 | Muhammad Akhlaq |
| 10 | Imran Dogar |
| 11 | Muhammad Mohsin |
| 12 | Noman Ali |
| 13 | Salman Mirza |
| 14 | Usman Sohail |
| 15 | Zain Bin Farooq |
| 16 | Zulqarnain Wazir |
2. FATA Region
Captain: Shaheen Shah Afridi
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Shaheen Shah Afridi (Captain) |
| 2 | Mohammad Farooq |
| 3 | Mohammad Salman Khan |
| 4 | Usman Maya |
| 5 | Mohammad Sarwar |
| 6 | Kashif Noor |
| 7 | Khushdil Shah |
| 8 | Sirajuddin |
| 9 | Shahid Aziz |
| 10 | Rehan Afridi |
| 11 | Waseem Qureshi |
| 12 | Sameen Gul |
| 13 | Afaq Afridi |
| 14 | Hayatullah |
| 15 | Fawad Arshad |
3. Karachi Blues
Captain: Saud Shakeel
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Saud Shakeel (Captain) |
| 2 | Saim Ayub |
| 3 | Usman Khan |
| 4 | Afnan Khan |
| 5 | Danish Aziz |
| 6 | Asad Umar |
| 7 | Ghazi Ghori |
| 8 | Haroon Arshad |
| 9 | Hamza Sohail |
| 10 | Mohammad Umar |
| 11 | Mohammad Asghar |
| 12 | Omair Bin Yousuf |
| 13 | Raza Chandio |
| 14 | Rameez Aziz |
| 15 | Saifullah Bangash |
| 16 | Umar Farooq |
4. Peshawar Blues
Captain: Muhammad Rizwan
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Muhammad Rizwan (Captain) |
| 2 | Sahibzada Farhan |
| 3 | Maaz Sadaqat |
| 4 | Mohammad Haris |
| 5 | Israrullah |
| 6 | Iftikhar Ahmed |
| 7 | Najab Khan |
| 8 | Nabi Gul |
| 9 | Sajid Khan |
| 10 | Mohammad Haleem |
| 11 | Mohammad Irfan |
| 12 | Abbas Afridi |
| 13 | Mohammad Amir Khan |
| 14 | Niaz Khan |
| 15 | Mohammad Adnan |
| 16 | Sahibzada Abdullah |
| 17 | Najeebullah |
5. Multan
Captain: Imam-ul-Haq
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Imam-ul-Haq (Captain) |
| 2 | Moheer Saeed |
| 3 | Uzair Mumtaz |
| 4 | Yousaf Babar |
| 5 | Imran Rafiq |
| 6 | Sharoon Siraj |
| 7 | Mohammad Shahzad |
| 8 | Waseem Akram Jnr |
| 9 | Mohammad Ismail |
| 10 | Aamer Yamin |
| 11 | Hasan Hafeez |
| 12 | Mohammad Shan |
| 13 | Faisal Akram |
| 14 | Waqar Ahmed |
| 15 | Bilal Khan |
6. Faisalabad
Captain: Muhammad Irfan Khan Niazi
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Muhammad Irfan Khan Niazi (Captain) |
| 2 | Faham-ul-Haq |
| 3 | Asim Ali Nasir |
| 4 | Sameer Saqib |
| 5 | Malik Abdul Rafay |
| 6 | Atiq-ur-Rehman |
| 7 | Awais Zafar |
| 8 | Abdul Samad |
| 9 | Ali Shan |
| 10 | Ali Asfand |
| 11 | Ahmed Safi Abdullah |
| 12 | Shahzad Gul |
| 13 | Asad Raza |
| 14 | Daniyal Ali Khan |
| 15 | Mohammad Muddassar Zunair |
7. Islamabad
Captain: Shamyl Hussain
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Shamyl Hussain (Captain) |
| 2 | Rohail Nazir |
| 3 | Ali Imran |
| 4 | Raja Hamza Waheed |
| 5 | Asfandyar |
| 6 | Mohammad Musa |
| 7 | Hammad Khan |
| 8 | Azim Bari |
| 9 | Azan Tariq |
| 10 | Hasan Nawaz |
| 11 | Mohammad Qaiser |
| 12 | Mohammad Wasim Jnr |
| 13 | Sajid Raza |
| 14 | Sarmad Bhatti |
| 15 | Umer Hameed |
8. Sialkot Blues
Captain: Abdullah Shafique
| No. | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Abdullah Shafique (Captain) |
| 2 | Mohammad Huraira |
| 3 | Afzaal Manzoor |
| 4 | Tayyab Ali |
| 5 | Shahzaib Bhatti |
| 6 | Ahmed Hassan |
| 7 | Hamza Sheraz |
| 8 | Mohsin Riaz |
| 9 | Abdul Rehman |
| 10 | Hamza Nazar |
| 11 | Mohammad Ali |
| 12 | Ammad Butt |
| 13 | Mohammad Hamza |
| 14 | Hassan Ali |
| 15 | Athar Mahmood |
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2026-27: Format and Schedule
| Tournament | Gold Division | Silver Division |
|---|---|---|
| Participating teams | 8 | 12 |
| Total matches | 29 | 31 |
| Starting date | November 3 | November 3 |
| Final | December 15–19 | December 3–7 |
| Final venue | Not specified | Not specified |
| Significance | National first-class championship | Promotion pathway to Gold |
Gold competition’s league matches will continue until December 12, with the top two teams competing in the five-day final from December 15 to 19. Meanwhile, Silver group-stage matches will conclude on November 30, followed by the final between the two group winners.
Babar Azam vs Shaheen Afridi
One of the biggest attractions of the tournament will be the contest between Lahore Whites and FATA, bringing two of Pakistan’s most prominent international cricketers into direct opposition.
Babar Azam has been included in the Lahore Whites squad, which will be captained by pace-bowling all-rounder Aamer Jamal. The team also features Noman Ali, Tayyab Tahir and Muhammad Akhlaq.
FATA, meanwhile, will enter the contest under Shaheen Shah Afridi’s leadership, with Khushdil Shah, Sameen Gul and Afaq Afridi among its notable players.
Defending champions Karachi Blues will also be looking to retain their crown, with Saud Shakeel named captain and international players Saim Ayub and Usman Khan included in their roster.
Other major names include Muhammad Rizwan, Sahibzada Farhan and Iftikhar Ahmed for Peshawar Blues, Imam-ul-Haq for Multan and Abdullah Shafique for Sialkot Blues.
PCB has clarified that team rosters can change throughout the competition, with reserves and players returning from national duties available for selection. Therefore, the published squad graphics should not be treated as fixed playing XIs.
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Silver: Groups Announced
The Silver Division will feature 12 regional teams divided into two groups of six, with matches scheduled in Karachi, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur.
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| Lahore Blues | Karachi Whites |
| Rawalpindi | Azad Jammu and Kashmir |
| Larkana | Hyderabad |
| Quetta | Dera Murad Jamali |
| Bahawalpur | Abbottabad |
| Peshawar Whites | Sialkot Whites |
Group A matches will take place at KCCA Stadium, SBP Sports Complex and UBL Sports Complex in Karachi.
Group B fixtures will be staged at Multan Cricket Stadium, Sports Complex Rahim Yar Khan and Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.
The group winners will advance to the Silver final, scheduled for December 3–7. The Silver champion will earn promotion to the Gold Division for the next domestic season, creating an important opportunity for regional teams seeking a place among Pakistan’s leading first-class sides.
Live Streaming Arrangements
Cricket fans will also have access to extensive live coverage throughout the competition.
All four Gold matches in each round will be streamed live on Tamasha and tapmad, while four of the six Silver matches in each round will also be available through live streaming.
The arrangement will allow fans nationwide to follow established international cricketers, track emerging talent and watch regional teams compete for domestic cricket’s most prestigious first-class title.
Major Opportunity for Pakistan’s Emerging Cricketers
Beyond the involvement of Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Muhammad Rizwan, the tournament represents a significant platform for Pakistan’s next generation of cricketers.
With 60 first-class matches, two competitive divisions and opportunities for promotion, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will test players’ consistency, temperament and technical abilities in the longer format.
The inclusion of separate Peshawar Blues and Whites, along with Sialkot Blues and Whites, also marks the first time the Peshawar and Sialkot regions will field two teams each in Pakistan’s first-class competition.
As the opening matches begin on November 3, attention will turn to Islamabad, where Babar Azam’s Lahore Whites and Shaheen Afridi’s FATA are set to provide a high-profile start to the domestic season.
