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       LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalised the selection criteria — carrying several controversial points — for the 2025-26 domestic season, which begins with the Hanif Mohammad Trophy on Aug 29.

       According to a PCB document seen by Dawn, “players of the regional teams will be selected while considering their past performances in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, National T20, President’s Trophy and Cup (Grade-I), Pakistan U-19, National U-19 (2024-25) and also their performance in Regional Inter-District (2025-26) competitions.”

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       Last season, all 18 teams from 16 regions competed in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, with weaker sides such as Larkana, Dera Murad Jamali, Hyderabad, Quetta, Azad Kashmir and Fata facing much stronger outfits from Sialkot, Peshawar, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad. Many of those encounters proved one-sided, with players from the stronger regions dominating.

       However, under the new criteria, performances recorded against weaker opposition will still count towards selection for the 2025-26 season, with the PCB seemingly having no mechanism to assess the quality of opposition or match conditions in which runs or wickets were achieved.

       The policy further states that “a pool of 30 players will be shortlisted, from which selection of Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, Hanif Mohammad Trophy and National T20 will be made. For teams playing the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, the top 22 performers of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy (2025-26) will be added to this pool as additional players after the conclusion of the said tournament. However, these additional players will represent their respective regional teams for the National T20 event, if selected.”

       This effectively allows the top 22 Hanif Mohammad Trophy performers to feature as guest players for any regional team in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, though such guest players cannot be part of regional squads for the Hanif Mohammad Trophy itself.

       The move is aimed at making the second-tier event more competitive, with strong regions — already well-stocked with local talent — able to supplement their squads.

       The criteria also permit the inclusion of current international players in each region’s pool of 30. Additionally, “retained” players from the previous domestic season will be automatically placed in this pool and directly slotted into the 15-member squads in the same format they represented earlier.

       Another provision gives fast bowlers clocking over 140kph separate consideration.

       “Bowlers who have an average pace of 140 plus will be selected as an additional to the 30 players and if required can be considered in the playing squad,” the document notes.

       For the initial 30-player list, each region will include six openers, nine middle-order batters, seven fast bowlers, three wicket-keepers and five spinners. When the list is trimmed to 20, the composition will be four openers, six middle-order batters, five fast bowlers, two wicket-keepers and three spinners. The final 15-man squad must have four openers, four middle-order batters, four fast bowlers, one wicket-keeper and two spinners.

       The PCB document also outlines procedures for assessing players who missed recent tournaments due to overseas commitments or injury. For such players, performance evaluation will be conducted separately.

       Meanwhile, the board has yet to announce a schedule for regional training camps ahead of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy. Although coaches have been appointed for every region and are being paid monthly salaries, they currently have no assignments outside of the national tournaments.

       Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2025